FRAGMENTS – Echoes of a Father
A musical narrative about memory, loss, and the echo of a voice.
In FRAGMENTS – Echoes of a Father, Olga Vocal Ensemble and poet Maureen Ghazal take the audience on an intimate journey through a man's life—from youthful dreams to old age, marked by war, exile, and the longing for home.
The performance combines polyphonic singing with spoken poetry, connecting memories with the present. The repertoire is rich and international: Russian, Palestinian, Ukrainian, Hebrew, and Hawaiian songs are interspersed with classical works, spirituals, and pop songs. Each song carries a fragment of a larger story.
Through her poetry, Maureen Ghazal brings an empathetic layer to the story, in which the father figure symbolizes many, and the larger story is told about displacement, uprooting, and the search for connection in a world torn apart.
The music resonates in varying configurations throughout the space—sometimes close-up, sometimes from a distance—like echoes from a past that still resonate. Together, the voices tell a story about what we lose, what we carry with us, and what might one day bring us home again.
Olga Vocal Ensemble is known for its expressive, technically refined performances. In FRAGMENTS, the ensemble uses space theatrically: the singers move through and around the audience, literally bringing the music closer. Ghazal's poetry forms the thread that connects the story—a father who symbolizes many.
The performance is directed by Tom Jaspers of Huijkelom | Petronella. During this concert, Maureen will be replaced by Marieke Polderdijk.
More information: https://www.olgavocalensemble.com/