The Waste Land is based on T.S. Eliot’s revolutionary poem, but was equally inspired by the work “Lexolalia Descenticum” of Iranian composer Farokzhad Layegh. Layegh recognized the similarities between Eliot’s The Waste Land and the poem Terrestrial Verses by Iran’s most famous poet Ahmad Shamlou, which also investigates the perpetual circle between decline and regeneration. Layegh brought together both poets in his composition, which runs like a thread through the performance.

For this project, Amsterdam Sinfonietta joins forces with ISH Dance Collective. Led by its artistic director, Candida Thompson, Amsterdam Sinfonietta is considered to be one of the top string orchestras in the world. Featuring internationally renowned soloists, Amsterdam Sinfonietta performs the full range of repertoire for string orchestra, but with the same passion also seeks to develop multidisciplinary programs with other music genres and art forms. ISH Dance Collective is a world-renowned hiphop dance collective from the Netherlands, led by Philippine-born skater/choreo- grapher Marco Gerris.

In The Waste Land, the audience experiences the universal theme of decline and regeneration. The performers run into a wall, fall down and drag themselves upright again. The Waste Land sharpens all the senses with its incandescent music, acrobatic dance, mysterious visuals and unexpected twists.

Documentary video The Waste Land: click here!

In close cooperation with Konzertdirektion Schmid.