‘To me, they are beautiful and magical beings that live imaginary second lives when the work day ends.’
Natacha Diels
In 2018, two Falcon Heavy rockets from SpaceX landed on the first floor at peculiarly the same time. This simultaneity made us forget for a few seconds their original mission and they transformed before our eyes into two graceful dancers.
American composer Natacha Diels is fascinated by construction cranes, a symbol of a city’s economic activity and progress. In her world these cranes molt into living characters capable of performing a choreography in counterpoint to the music. They exchange the hoisting of heavy loads and working against the clock for an elegant dance and the unfolding of a giant butterfly.
Photos: © Wim Heirbaut
Credits
Butterfly: STORMKOP (production manager: Matti Willems) and Kras Jeugdwerk
Artistic direction butterfly: Fatima Shamizada
Design butterfly: David Adamcyk
Cranes: Anthony Cranes (Sven Clemminck, Yannick Joos and Kris Vergult)
Presentation: Kaat Haest
Marieke Berendsen violin
Nico Couck guitar
Katrien Gaelens flute
Yves Goemaere percussion
Wannes Gonnissen sound
Pieter Matthynssens cello, artistic direction
Elisa Medinilla piano
Thomas Moore trombone, production
Stefan Prins artistic direction
Dries Tack clarinet
With special thanks to Alice, Benjamin and Sofie Anthony, Lot Saldien and Koos Hogeweg (STORMKOP), Veerle Deloof, Bas Matthynssens and Noah Verhoeven.
Premiere: DEAR ANTWERP Festival
Coproduction: DE SINGEL, STORMKOP
