Michel van der Aa is a truly multidisciplinary figure in contemporary music. A unique voice, he combines composition with film and stage direction, and script writing. Classical instruments, voices, electronic sound, actors, theatre and video are all seamless extensions of his musical vocabulary.
News
30 December 2022
End-of-year recommendations 2022
Dear friends,
As we approach the end of 2022, I’d like to share with you my favorite books, series, music, and software of the past year.
First, some professional highlights: the US premiere of Upload at the Park Avenue Armory in New York last spring was a dream come true. The Armory is such a magical place, with an amazing staff, team, and audience.
Another highlight for me was the world premiere of The Book of Water at the Venice Biennale. It was an immense pleasure and privilege to work with Samuel and Timothy West, Mary Bevan, Ensemble Modern, and Amsterdam Sinfonietta on this production.
The icing on the cake this year was winning the International Opera Award for our “Upload” film. You can watch the film on medici.tv, Marquee TV, and takt1.
Featured works
Performances
24 February 2023
The Book of Water (Hong Kong premiere)
Samuel West, actor. Esmé quartet. Timothy West, actor (film), Mary Bevan, soprano (film). Hong Kong Arts Festival
Hong Kong City Hall,
Hong Kong,
Hong Kong
25 February 2023
The Book of Water
Samuel West, actor. Esmé quartet. Timothy West, actor (film), Mary Bevan, soprano (film)
Two performances; afternoon and evening. Hong Kong Arts Festival
Hong Kong City Hall,
Hong Kong,
Hong Kong
4 April 2023
The Book of Water (South Korean premiere)
Actor TBA. Esmé quartet. Timothy West, actor (film), Mary Bevan, soprano (film).
Tongyeong International Music Festival
Black Box,
Tongyeong,
South Korea