In 1969 Reinbert de Leeuw, Louis Andriessen, Mischa Mengelberg, Peter Schat and Jan van Vlijmen wrote history with the opera Reconstructie. This indictment of American imperialism resulted in questions being posed in the Dutch Parliament; however, it did not bring about a social revolution.

Seven years later Andriessen made the disappointed observation in De Staat that – contrary to Plato’s assertion – music is ‘suprasocial’ and ‘there is no such thing as a fascist dominant seventh’. In 1976 Claude Vivier composed Siddhartha after Hermann Hesse’s novel about a young man in search of spiritual enlightenment. Years later Reinbert de Leeuw became acquainted with Vivier’s music and was instantly captivated by it.

Artists

Claude Vivier
Siddhartha
Louis Andriessen
De Staat
Première of a Surprise Composition for Reinbert de Leeuw

Asko|Schönberg
Residentie Orkest
Ludwig Ensemble
conductor
Reinbert de Leeuw,
Etienne Siebens
singers
studenten Conservatorium Den Haag