After winter comes...

...festival season!

Spring might have started with snow this year but the sun has not waited very long to show its rays. As I am typing now, it warms my Amsterdam apartment through the large windows of my living room, where I was watching the snow covering the streets not as long as an hour ago.

Snow or not, winter is now giving its place to spring, and for me, spring goes along with the start of a very long and rich festival season. After the launch of the Iceland on the Edge Festival, going on at BOZAR until 15 June, starts Ars Musica, again in Brussels, celebrating contemporary music. Those of you who are in Brussels in April, I would suggest you to go listen to Jean-Philippe Collard-Neven, a magnificent pianist who also happens to be the husband of a precious friend of mine and the father of a beautiful Antoinette, on 19 April at Flagey. You can also hear his Boulez recording in the exhibition around Paul Klee at BOZAR: Theatre here, there and everywhere.

More theatre and dance in two performing arts festival in Brussels and Amsterdam: kunstenFestivaldesArts and Holland Festival, both offering a very rich international programme. I've spotted several performances: Aydin Teker's HarS and Zan Yamashita's It is written there at the kunstenFestivaldesArts, Amir Reza Koohestani's Quartet: A Journey to North both at the kunstenFestivaldesArts and Holland Festival, Samuel Becket's Happy Days with Fiona Shaw, William Forsythe's Kammer/Kammer and Decreation, the latter based on Anne Carson's eponymous work and Calliope Tsoupaki's brand new oratorio presented in World Premiere at the Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam, all at the Holland Festival.

After Spring comes Summer... and with it even more festivals... But for the moment, let's enjoy Spring, it's only the beginning!

LOST?

One rainy Sunday afternoon, with no will to go out even to get some groceries, ordering food in and watching Kate, Sawyer and Jack's adventures on a faraway island. It sounds silly right? Well, that's what I thought, enough of these silly stories, what the f... is that black smoke on the island, and why the hell are these "Others" treating our nice heroes so badly? So I just stopped the DVD of the third season of LOST to get something to eat and to read some news... and guess what, the real world sounds even sillier! EL PAIS and The Guardian are writing about the possibility to make primary school children eligible for the DNA database if they exhibit behavior indicating they may become criminals in later life. If that's the way it was working in Belgium when I was a kid, my parents would for sure be in serious trouble since I had a kind of hobby knocking guys out in the schoolyard (I stopped soon enough, don't worry, I loved to play the fearless garçon manqué). Anyway, I thought I might read about what was happening in my native country and moved to Turkish paper Radikal where I read a short article entitled: "Alkolsüz türkü üretildi!". It can be translated as: Alcohol free türkü (a type of Turkish folk song) has been created and it explains how during the celebration of "Health/Medicine Day" the members of the Choir, coordinated by the Ministry of Health, have avoided the words "alcohol" or "drunk" in all the türkü's they sang, replacing them by the word "doctor". So the line 'Sarhoşlar geliyor eli şişeli'/ "The drunk are coming bottles in hand" have turned into 'Doktorlar geliyor eli şişeli' / "The doctors are coming bottles in hand".
I'm just going to leave my international-online-newspaper-tour to watch some tattooed doc' kept prisoner on a faraway island.
Some people really don't need to get drunk to get LOST.

Stay switched on

Since the last 3 years, I have been living without a television. My parents both have TVs home and I used to live with its sound when I was sharing their house. I must say that I even enjoyed watching it a lot... all the series, cultural programmes, news broadcast, documentaries, movies... But let's face it, most of what's on TV is... JUNK. And now that I am spending the week in a TV friendly environment, I just feel I get more headaches. Only the sound of it is disturbing me. I feel like my head is full of unnecessary noises, no matter what they are. Music, commercials, series... I don't need the television to know about what's happening in the world or to watch a good movie. Here I have experienced once again how happy I am not to have a television. It's a personal choice, one that gives me more space to read, write, enjoy the company of my lover, converse, go out, meet people, discover the world. I'm glad I can do it all without having a TV. I intend to keep it that way. And I don't feel I know less about the world. I'm always switched on so I can better see what's around me and far beyond.

Angels in Amsterdam

The beautiful play by Tony Kushner, Angels in America, has moved the whole world already. I had missed the French version, with the music of genius composer and conductor Peter Eötvös, staged in Paris in November 2004, which I still cannot forgive myself for! So I thought I would get some consolation with the TV version on DVD, which has actually been a revelation (I agree that with actors like Meryl Streep and Al Pacino, it can hardly not be good). So I kept on dreaming about someday when I could experience the stage performance of the stunning play. I would never have thought I would be so motivated to see a 5 hour play in Dutch! Indeed, toneelgroepamsterdam is preparing to tour Angels, starting from the Stadsschouwburg in Amsterdam. You can either go for a marathon performance or split it into two parts, which I will certainly do since my Dutch will not permit me to focus on 5 hours of strong text in a row. First thing tomorrow, I will head to the Leidseplein and buy my tickets. I will go on dreaming until I see it for real... the Angels will soon be in Amsterdam.

From 1 to 8 March and from 26 to 29 March 2008 in Amsterdam
More tour dates on toneelgroepamsterdam.nl

Images Moving

I have been deeply moved by a work of art a few minutes ago. A book of drawings, images talking to me without using a single printed word, except for its title: The Arrival, and the name of its author: Shaun Tan. One artist to discover for certain. The Arrival has won the prize for best comic book of the year at the Angoûleme Comics Festival. One immigration story among billions one might say, so what makes Shaun Tan's story so original? Without spoiling your pleasure to discover the book by yourself, I will just tell you how I felt when I started to watch and read the images one frame after the other. The absence of written language just made me feel as lost as the central character of the story, I could follow and experience each one of his feelings: the arrival to the foreign land, the tasting of new food, the meeting with people, the search for a job, the loneliness... And the awkward need to belong. Frame after frame, I was trying to decipher each drawing as the character tried to decipher his new environment. I could write pages and pages about the technique Shaun Tan uses, comparing his work with other graphic novels... But I will not break the spell: I have been deeply moved by the story of a man who leaves his daughter and wife to search for a better life on an unknown land. Nothing new, same old story for hundreds of years. And I am still moved by the humanity in it, only this time was the feeling even stronger.

Photo: 'Four Seasons' Shaun Tan, pencil on paper

Flying up on an Air Balloon, bis

The 'bis' part of a concert is usually one of the best moments of it, I think. It is sometimes the case in everyday life too, when you see something for a second time, especially when you didn't expect it. Well... today, on my way back from Zutphen to Amsterdam, I saw the air balloon with the purple and green stripes again. And this time, it was flying even higher...

Flying up on an Air Balloon

Today, I have become a Japanese, Israeli, Polish, Romanian and even Russian young woman in the mind of several young people involved in a training about diversity. During an exercise about prejudices, I have experienced others' perception of me. Yes, I have an unusual name, and yes, it isn't clear rightaway where it comes from, and yes, I have quite a pale skin, eventhough I can easily get tanned under the sun. And to make it more confusing, I speak good English, and Dutch, my Spanish is correct and my mother tongues are French and Turkish. But these kids didn't have all that information (they just knew I spoke English and Dutch and they knew my name), so they thought of me as everything but Turkish or Belgian. I understand it pretty well, and furthermore I don't like to identify myself with a nation in the first place- it is part of my identity, not my whole self to be a Turkish-Belgian. But I still couldn't understand why suddenly I have become Japanese or Israeli? I thought of it a bit, and on my way back home to Amsterdam from this little town where the training was held, I saw a huge air balloon with green and purple stripes starting its ascendancy to the bright blue sky. I forgot about being Polish, Romanian, Japanese, Belgian, Turkish... I just thought how beautiful it was to be a free human being.

Do you know Iceland?

You will say that you know Björk and maybe also 1955's Literature Nobel Prize winner Halldor Laxness. You might even know about the Hofdi House, built in 1909, one of the most beautiful buildings in Reykjavik, best known as the location for the 1986 summit meeting of presidents Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbatsjov, that effectively marked the end of the Cold War. And of course, you might have heard about the Sagas, the trolls, the harsh and breathtaking nature, the geysers and the blue lagoon... And if none of these ring any bell to you, don't worry, it's never late to learn! And if you live in Brussels or not too far from the city, don't miss the Iceland on the Edge festival that will take place at BOZAR from 15 February to 15 June. They also have a blog where artists and Iceland lovers (including me) write everyday: www.bozar.be/blog
I will make the trip from Amsterdam, at least for the opening AIRWAVES concerts on 15 February. I admit that I am not only go for that event only, but while around, there's no reason why I should miss it.

John Eliot, Nick and Beth

What do the Monteverdi Choir, Bach, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, and Portishead have in common?

PASSION!

And moreover, they are all coming to Amsterdam in the following months and I will be there, from the Concertgebouw to the Heineken Music Hall.

So they will also have me in common, at least in Amsterdam!

Check their websites for additional tour dates:
http://www.nickcaveandthebadseeds.com/
http://www.portishead.co.uk/news.php

Stuck between two scenes

I'm literally stuck between two scenes in my play. I shouldn't think of it now but I just can't help it. It's just words on paper for the moment (and might stay so if no one gets any interest in what I'm writing), but I can't stop thinking "what if"... What if it takes too long to move from one background to the other, will the play lose its dynamic right from the start? What if I move the first scene to the second part, would it then lose its impact and strength? What if I can't get the rights to use any music I want... and it goes on.
I should stop, really... I'm gonna try something new: what if I could just go on writing and then I'll see. If any director gets interested in my text... then only will we see.
Well, it feels good to talk sometimes, just talk, even if it's nonsense to most of the people hearing or reading about it. Even to me it sounds like nonsense, put I'm gonna post it anyway.

Enjoying Amsterdam

This is my first post of the year 2008. Not that I've been sleeping, lazy or didn't have anything interesting to say, I've just been busy changing my life! Some great changes actually, new city, new job and new apartment... All have gone so fast that I didn't even realize the huge step I made in such a short time, and moreover, I am really happy about all these changes. Ok, I admit it, Amsterdam is not so far from Brussels, I moved from a 38M2 studio to a 80M2 real apartment, and I didn't leave BOZAR for an unknown association but for the British Council... and, last but not least, I'm here with the love of my life, so nothing really difficult when you see it from this side... Still, in order to get all this, I had to make up my mind before I knew all this would work out. Life on a bycicle is actually great, the canals just make everything look more beautiful. So yes, I'm happy here. Amsterdam is the city where I belong for now. I don't know where I will go in the future, but for the moment, I'm here and I will let you know about life, concerts, expos, people and more here...

The No Way to Forest National

New York band INTERPOL was in Brussels last night. After having seen them in Werchter last summer, I was quite excited to renew the experience at Forest National. And for once, we've decided with my sweetheart to take the bus to go there, because it's more ecological but also because there's a serious parking problem near the venue. So we've naively waited for the bus 54 near My Campagne, the bus arrived with 15 minutes delay, and it was completely full (even a mouse couldn't find a place in). It was already 8pm, so we went back home to pick up the car. The way from Saint-Gilles to Forest wasn't good either... closed routes, working fields, one ways... as if someone was trying to prevent us from going to Forest National. After half an hour, we have finally managed to find a spot to park the car and walked 10 minutes to finally be there... on time. The gig was great, I forgot about all this stupid transport issue for one hour and a half. But I don't want anyone telling me that public transportation is more practical, it can be more respectful of the environment and I'm using it everyday, but believe me, there's NO WAY I'm going to Forest National again by public transport, and maybe not ever again, only if Dave Matthews comes back there of course. Can't wait for the new Brussels venue to open its doors... but that will be only in a few years

One Step Further

It's done! I have finally sent my project proposal to the Fondation belge de la vocation, and not within the best conditions ever. With a terrible ear-ache that put me in bed the last two days (I still went to work for 3 hours for Saturday evening's concert), I finalized the copy and printing-work yesterday, a bit "last minute", but I did it. I don't really care about the results, what matters here is that I've been able to send something (I'm quite proud of actually), and it helped me structuring my work done so far. Still, results will come out in February, you're allowed to cross fingers :-)

I felt the same for the "Fureur de lire" short story competition, to which I participated in 2005 and 2007, it didn't really matter if I would win anything, I just wanted to finish and send a text. Even though I still think that it's quite unfair to have a "young talented" writer to preside the jury, especially when his main promotion motor is his uneducated background: "he left school at 17 and never read a book until then"... waow! What a talented writer. This is quite another topic actually, and it makes me want to read more, and study more, and write even more.

Well, I think I'm ready now to go another step further...

Before the tempest

November 1st, the streets are so quiet you can even hear birds singing. Cars seem to have stopped moving, the atmosphere is gray. A perfect day to go to the cemetery, just that I don't like cemeteries. Nobody's perfect! So I'm keeping it simple for today, a not so early but still not late wake-up, a very simple breakfast with coffee, followed by tea, then head on to BOZAR for a interview afternoon with Syrian singer Sabah Fakhri (Syria's Frank Sinatra they say... we'll see on Saturday evening) and several journalists working for Arabic medias here in Brussels. A preview for this weekend's tempest of concerts and encounters. Looking forward to it!

Better later...

Some of you might remember my short stories' project I wanted to finish this summer. Well, it didn't go on as I wished, but still, I managed to finalize several stories and I am still working on others. My project did not go as planned, but I don't abandon. I got five short stories done and I'm working on five others, almost finished. I began to lose confidence these last weeks, because of a lack of time and energy due to my present working rhythm, but I have finally decided to face this frustration I actually made up myself, and to go on writing as much as I could, within my current rhythm. So I will continue enjoying festivals, concerts, plays, expo's and more, all linked to both my job and passions, and I will concentrate on my writing in parallel. I feel lucky to be able to work in an environment that allows me to be creative.
Waow! It's so nice to be confident again! And indeed, no matter what one's do, it's better later than never!

Patty Pâtes: enjoy fresh pasta!

After a 4 hour traffic-jammed-ride from Amsterdam to Brussels, neither me nor my beloved espressoroast could even think of cooking dinner back at home. So we've decided to head to a small restaurant we'd discovered at the end of this summer, and that we really liked for its cosy and welcoming atmosphere, and most of all, for its pasta's. It came out to be a tremendously good idea... we're now back in our bed, enjoying a no-washing-dishes-evening.

Those of you who would happen to be (or live) in Brussels, don't miss that place. It is called "Patty Pâtes", and its specialty is, as its name suggests it quite obviously, pasta! They have a very vast choice of fresh home made tagliatelli, cannelloni... and sauces (chicken, seafood, meat, vegetarian...). The kitchen is right in the middle of the place, you can see the cook and the pasta maker (a very nice girl) at their best beside the glass. Good food and good service for a quite fair price (more or less €10 per dish), that's an equation you don't often get these days.
Second time there, and certainly not the last!
Enjoy!

Patty Pâtes
rue Ernest Solvay, 10
1050 Brussels
Tél 02.514.27.41

Geyser in action, Iceland

Ils sont fous ces Islandais?

Crazy nature, crazy music, crazy art scene, crazy outfits... Iceland is a crazily stunning place.

I've spent four days in Reykjavik during the Iceland Airwaves Festival, on a press trip for BOZAR (which is preparing an Iceland Festival in Spring). A good opportunity to visit this incredible but quite expensive country (don't try to go on a low budget there). Our purpose was to see the most possible of the Icelandic artistic scene, so we moved from concerts to plays, meeting with artists like Baltasar Kormakur, Hallgrimur Hellgason, Helena Jonsdottir, Ruri and more. Artists in Iceland don't have any complexes, they do whatever they want and express themselves in the way they like: a writer composes music, a film director plays in several bands, a dancer sings hard rock and so on. The Icelandic art scene boils like a Geyser!

More about Iceland on this blog in the following posts.

White Chalk

Soft and powerful, beautifully meaningful and realistically dreaming, PJ Harvey's last album "White Chalk" is just stunning. It only lasts half an hour, but what an half! One note, just one sound coming out of her throat, her guts or her piano makes my whole body tremble. So different from what she did previously as an artist and still, so PJ Harvey. Words are quite unnecessary here, so I urge all of you to buy this mind blowing album, and loose yourself in it, starting with "Dear Darkness".

Going on tour?
Dear Polly Jean, dear Polly Jean... when are you coming to Belgium?
This is a less poetical information, PJ Harvey has not announced any tour dates in Europe yet, just one in Paris in November, and the seats are extremely expensive (especially if you need to get a Thalys ticket + one night at the hotel in addition!). Anywhere in Belgium would be fine (or anywhere 2-3hours ride away from Brussels will do too!). We're patiently waiting...

Sands of death

May I call him a friend? Yes, I sincerely think I can. I’ve known him for two years now, I had first met him during the organisation of a festival around Arabic music and we even had dinner with the great Lebanese musician Marcel Khalifé, just the three of us, an unforgettable evening indeed. Then we crossed through each other in cultural centres, listening to music coming from everywhere in the world, from Morocco to China. In the last few months, we met again more officially to start preparing a festival of Arabic music and performing arts, which will take place from the end of October until mid November in Antwerp and Brussels. As usual, my friend showed an incredible energy and will to share his knowledge and passion, truly believing in the power of arts and on its ability to gather people from different cultures. That is why I’ve always respected him and shared his ideas of communication with people. Today, while getting back to work on our next project, I’ve learned that my friend wasn’t here anymore. He flew away, somewhere between the earth and the sky, in a place where the sand and the wind mingle. On his journey to the endless desert, he didn’t only leave his projects behind, but also his love for them. If life goes on, it does because those who die leave us with a life worth living. And it is what my friend did, giving us his passion, his sincerity, his ideas, so we can pursue what he’d started, so we will go on sharing.

To Addi Yahya who passed away in August 1, 2007