Premiere of Cristiano Melli's work for Carillon and 20 Brasses
"ENTRADA - I Liv'd as Before '' is a music work for carillon and 20 brasses by Cristiano Melli, a Brazilian composer currently living in The Hague, and commissioned by Stichting Carillon Den Haag to celebrate 600 years of the Grote Kerk’s Tower. It will be premiered by Gijsbert Kok (carillon) and the Trombone class of the Royal Conservatorium (under direction of Sebastiaan Kemner). The work is part of a larger piece based on the lives of Leendert Hasenbosch (1695 - circa 1725) and Willem Arondeus (1894 - 1943) - two real Dutch characters. The title relates to a recurrent sentence from Leendert’s Diary which hauntingly unifies queer existence through the History. Since it will be performed on the carillon, the work can be heard anywhere around The Hague’s Grote Kerk; however, those who would like to enjoy a nice atmosphere are invited to the Nutstuin, just around the corner from the church.
"I LIV'D AS BEFORE" is an opera by Cristiano Melli, a Brazilian composer based in The Hague, in production stage. The overture "ENTRADA - I LIV'D AS BEFORE", for carillon and 20 brasses, will be premiered on May 18th as part of the festivities of 600 years of The Hague's Grote Kerk's tower, by Gijsbert Kok (carillon) and the Trombone class of the Royal Conservatorium (under direction of Sebastiaan Kemner).
Leendert Hasenbosch, a Dutch sailor from the 18th century, was stranded on Ascension Island in 1725, due to the "crime" of sodomy. Though his fate remains unclear, his diary, discovered by British sailors and later published, sheds light on his struggles and hallucinations, including encounters with a mysterious figure.
Willem Arondéus, a Dutch artist and Resistance member during World War II, faced execution for his involvement in a bombing targeting the Nazi registration building in Amsterdam. His bravery and identity as an openly gay man marked a significant intersection of LGBTQIA+ history and wartime heroism in the Netherlands.
In a theatrical work combining both narratives, Leendert and Willem's stories intertwine across time, exploring themes of love, resistance, and the human experience in the face of adversity. The performance culminates in a poignant reflection on their legacies, inviting the audience to contemplate the echoes of their courage and sacrifice in contemporary society.