OUM

Musical universe

Fifty years after her death, the significance of Egyptian singer Oum Kalthoum (ca. 1900 - 1975) is still indescribable. She is the face of classical Arabic music. Her songs are the soundtrack of countless lives; her popularity in North Africa, the Middle East and the Arab diaspora far exceeds that of the greatest opera and pop stars in the West.

For the new musical theater performance “OUM - A son's quest for his mother,” composer Bushra El-Turk and director Kenza Koutchoukali combine her influential musical universe with the novel “Visage retrouvé” by renowned writer and director Wajdi Mouawad.

Many Amsterdammers with Arab roots hold Oum Kalthoum's voice dear to their hearts, but her music is relatively little heard on the city's stages. With this music theater production, the Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra, Meervaart and De Nationale Opera want to pay tribute to this iconic singer.

The story

19-year-old Wahab plods through a nighttime snowstorm, on his way to the hospital where his mother lies dying. He had long since resigned himself to the fact that their relationship is a mess. But tonight he realizes that if he wants to reconcile with his mother, he will have to face his deepest fear.

On his journey to find his mother, Wahab carries with him deep in his heart - but unknowingly - the song “Al-Atlal” (“The Ruins”) by Oum Kalthoum. This song embodies the grief for a lost home, the yearning for love and ultimately the promise of reconciliation amid the debris of a relationship.

High-profile artists

At the request of De Nationale Opera, the Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra and Meervaart, director Kenza Koutchoukali brought together high-profile artists. 'OUM - A son's quest for his mother' is based on the novel ‘Visage retrouvé’ by writer and playwright Wajdi Mouawad, known in the Netherlands for his plays ‘Branden’ and ‘Vogels’, among others. Composer Bushra El-Turk, winner of the Ivor Novello Award 2024 for her opera ‘Woman at Point Zero,’ ingeniously weaves the song ‘Al-Atlal’ through the score of this musical theater performance: sometimes clearly recognizable, sometimes like a distant echo.

Surrounded by the Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra, actress Nadia Amin (nominated for the Theo d'Or 2023) and singers Ghalia Benali, Dima Orsho and Bernadeta Astari transport the audience into the musical world of Oum Kalthoum in a coming-of-age story about a search for who you are, finding your roots again and a reconciliation with a lost mother (‘oum’ in Arabic).

750 Years of Amsterdam

‘OUM - A son's quest for his mother’ is initiated and produced by De Nationale Opera, the Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra and Meervaart. The musical theater performance is an ode to a hidden icon on Amsterdam's largest stage - making it a gift to the city as part of the celebration of 750 years of Amsterdam

Credits

Based on the play 'Un obus dans le coeur' and excerpts from the novel 'Visage retrouvé' by Wajdi Mouawad. English translation by Linda Gaboriau. Spoken in English, sung in Arabic.

Composition: Bushra El-Turk
Text editing: Wout van Tongeren
Musical direction: Kanako Abe
Direction: Kenza Koutchoukali
Set and video: Yannick Verweij
Costumes: Hannah Sibai
Lighting: Yuri Schreuders
Dramaturgy: Wout van Tongeren
Actress: Nadia Amin
Counter-alto: Ghalia Benali
Mezzo-soprano: Dima Orsho
Soprano: t.b.a.
Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra