NEuE on Major European Stages

In the coming months, the New European Ensemble (NEuE) will bring two exceptional productions to international stages. The ensemble has been invited to give prestigious performances in the United Kingdom and Italy, with a tour itinerary that includes London, Edinburgh, Rome, and Reggio Emilia.

A Fusion of Literature and Music: London & Edinburgh

The concert performance Seasonal Quartet will tour Great Britain this summer. In this unique project, NEuE collaborates with the celebrated Scottish author Ali Smith.

• London: On July 2, the ensemble kicks off the tour at the Spitalfields Music Festival, one of the British capital’s most innovative music festivals.
• Edinburgh: On Friday, August 28, the production will be featured at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, the largest book festival in the world.

The project centers on Smith’s novels Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer, in which she explores contemporary themes such as migration and ecology. Commissioned by the ensemble, four female composers wrote new works responding to this literature. Combined with readings by Ali Smith herself, the performance creates a powerful dialogue between word and sound.

Sounds of Resistance in Italy: Rome & Reggio Emilia

In November, the ensemble will travel to Italy to perform Hans Werner Henze’s monumental masterpiece Voices (1973), conducted by Carlo Boccadoro.

• Rome: On November 4, NEuE will perform at the renowned Romaeuropa Festival, a cornerstone of the European multidisciplinary arts scene.
• Reggio Emilia: The tour continues on November 5 with a performance in this historic city.

Voices is an impressive song cycle based on texts by twenty resistance poets. The instrumentation is entirely unique, with the musicians collectively playing around seventy different instruments from various global traditions. Featuring soloists Carina Vinke (alto) and Peter Tantsits (tenor), NEuE brings this powerful musical reflection on justice to Italian audiences.

International Ambitions

These international tours underscore the New European Ensemble’s position within the European cultural landscape. The grant awarded last year from the Performing Arts Fund NL’s International Promotion Programme (PIP) supports this strategic direction, enabling the ensemble to further expand its horizons to leading international stages.