Apokalypsis – Collegium vocale Gent (Gent)

James Wood: Apokalypsis

(World premiere with Collegium Vocale Gent)

In the new, full-evening work by the British composer and conductor James Wood, the theme of the end of days plays a central role. Ironically enough, it was a pandemic that got in the way of the first performance. Three years later, this magnum opus by Wood, commissioned by Collegium Vocale Gent, can finally be christened. Apokalypsis borrows its texts from the Bible book in which St John describes in a vision how seven angels with their trumpets predict seven catastrophes. In contrast, Wood places a variety of contemporary poems, blogs, reports and political speeches from Napoleon to Donald Trump. In light of the geopolitical developments in recent years, Apokalypsis continues to be a highly topical piece.

The seven trumpets are rendered by the saxophones of BL!NDMAN. In a layered interplay with the singers of the choir and with the organ, they fill the monumental space of St Bavo’s Cathedral with a constantly changing acoustic experience.