Cantique des cantiques — Nederlands Kamerkoor

From loneliness to symbiotic love

With Daniel-Lesur’s Le cantique des cantiques, the Nederlands Kamerkoor (Netherlands Chamber Choir), led by Swedish conductor Sofi Jeannin, presents a cornerstone of 20th-century choral repertoire. Based on the biblical Song of Songs, the work features two figures singing of their love and longing while praising each other’s beauty. More than just a story, this timeless work is a poetic exploration of longing and fulfilment, of being apart and reuniting.

The evening opens with The Great Alone, a major new choral work for percussion and cello, specially composed for this programme by Dutch composer Rob Zuidam. Drawing on a variety of sources, he delves into the feeling of deep cosmic loneliness, sparked by Enrico Fermi’s haunting question: ‘But where is everybody?’. This evening will transport you from the deepest loneliness to the celebration of symbiotic love between two people.