programme
Meriç Artaç (*1990) Bosch Requiem 2025
performers
Cappella Amsterdam
New European Ensemble
Krista Audere conductor
Carina Vinke soloist
Maayaan Licht soloist
Silvia Costa director
Thomas Koopmans sound
background
What happens at the border between life and death? This question comprises the starting point for the Bosch Requiem 2025, a new work by composer Meriç Artaç. Written especially for Cappella Amsterdam, the New European Ensemble and vocal soloists, Artaç explores the transition between reality and imagination in this work with an idiosyncratic mix of music, theatre and text.
The character Mariza is central, who finds herself between life and death. A limbo, where memories, missed opportunities and dreams that never came true are said goodbye. At her side is the mysterious Ra, a guide who accompanies her in this farewell. Artaç creates a sound universe in which classical ensembles merge with electronics and the kemençe, a traditional string instrument. The result is an inspired work about mourning, loss and meaning.
This production is created in collaboration with the Opera Forward Festival.
about Meriç Artaç
Meriç Artaç is a composer and music theatre maker. Born in Istanbul in 1990, she began her musical education at the age of five at the State Conservatory of Istanbul University, graduating at the age of eighteen. She then moved to Rotterdam to study composition with Peter-Jan Wagemans, with whom she obtained her master’s degree with honours in 2015.
Artaç focuses on creating stories and composing music for theatre projects and opera. Her interest in multidisciplinary pieces can be seen throughout her collaborations with opera, theatre, dance and film. Her compositions, both acoustic and electronic, are musical representations of the characters and stories she creates.
Since 2018, Artaç has been teaching composition at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, and she has been coordinator and representative of the composition department of the Rotterdam Conservatory, Codarts.
