Peter Leung

Stabat Mater / Pergolesi

From birth to death, an ongoing cycle

Over the last few years I’ve been creating work at de IJ-Salon, a music based initiative directed by Michael Gieler. I have been creating dance pieces to live music from diverse composers ranging from newly composed music to Bach. Earlier this year Michael asked me to direct a staged version of St.John Passion, working with the National Youth Choir, soloists and musicians, a staging with the body in relation to the music in the setting of a concert hall. This was the first time directing a large work without dancers at the core of the work.

Two years ago I created ‘Stabat Mater’ for the International Bach Festival, Gran Canaria with the IJ-Salon. This year I was asked to remount the piece in Amsterdam. I decided, after having come much further with staging and working with singers , to recreate the piece. The performance took place on September 28th at the Muziekgebouw aan t’IJ and represented the ideas that come through in the text and music of life and death.

Choreography and direction: Peter Leung

Soprano: Tania Lorenzo // Mezzo soprano: Rosina Fabius

Dancers: Frederik Kaijser, Sophie Vergeres, Erika Poletto

Musicians: First violin: Ursula Schoch, Jane Piper, Igor Pollet // Second violin: Elise Besemer, Marlene Dijkstra, Stefano Farulli // Viola: Saeko Oguma, Olfje van der Klein // Cello: Fred Edelen, Fabrizio Scilla // Double bass: Marta Fossas Mallorqui // Harpsichord: Christina Scott-Edelen

Dramaturg: Carel Alphenaar

Light design: Gé Wegman

Conductor: Michael Gieler

Costumes: Louise Flanagan (on loan from the Bayerisches Junior Ballett Munich)