A production with this many odds and ends requires smooth communication. So, there’s another meeting with both the music team and the visual team. Valgeir gets updated by mail. Even at this early stage in the creation process, we have to think ahead. To get the show out there as much as possible, it’s important to reach out to promoters and venues as soon as we can. And that’s now. Pieter Theuns, as head B.O.X officer, walks the path of promoter’s diplomacy to try and get the show at Holland Festival, which is close to our premiere. Other venues and responsibilities of contacting them come up.

Next, we plan two working blocks dedicated to the music, a series of workshops at deSingel. Three days in January and two more, closer to the actual rehearsal, in March. These workshops will take stock of where we’re at musically and they’ll also give us an indication of how fast we can actually work. That’s important for our creative timeline.

We discuss bringing in other colors to the musical palette, which bring up personnel issues. We feel the string- and wind instruments should be doubled to allow for more expression and texture. The viola da gamba of Liam Byrne will be counterbalanced with a cello. Steuart Pincombe comes in view as a possible player. On the side of the wind instruments, Jon Birdsong could be flanked by a flute. Pieter will check into players.

With the visual team we fixed meeting dates on a monthly basis, all the way up to May, as a follow up to their progressions.