Omar Rajeh / Maqamat Theatre Dance / Najib Cherradi (Lebanon/the Netherlands)

This new international co-production by Maqamat centres on the significance of the written word in Arab society, and the dangers of expressing dissenting opinions. The recent assassinations of Lebanese journalists are taken as a case in point, but parallel to this the topic is also dealt with from a very personal perspective. In the piece, the choreographer reacts to these incidents, and the inclusion of his name in the title indicates the social dimension of his own actions: can or should an artist respond to the elimination of voices, and of lives?  According to Rajeh: “The assassination of journalists who advocated freedom of expression, human rights and a democratic civil society is an act that aims to terrorise free thought and kill hopes of change. It is an act against ‘me’ … my body… my presence. Can I do anything? Do I have to do something, and if so what and how?”

Incorporating a musical score written and sung by the Dutch-Moroccan musician, Najib Cherradi, this piece will have its Dutch premiere at the Dancing on the Edge Festival. The Festival is a co-producer of The Assassination of Omar Rajeh.
(Length: 60 min.)

Performance schedule
1 dec 20.30 | Amsterdam – Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam (grote zaal)
3 dec 21.00 | Groningen – Grand Theatre (grote zaal)
6 dec 20.15 | Rotterdam Schouwburg (grote zaal)
7 dec 21.00 | Stadsschouwburg Utrecht (grote zaal)

click here for tickets
click here for program schedules

——————————————————————————–

Maqamat Theatre Dance and Omar Rajeh
Maqamat Theatre Dance is a Lebanese contemporary dance company, founded in Beirut in 2002 by director and choreographer Omar Rajeh. The company’s objective is to create and establish a contemporary dance scene in Lebanon and the region, and to encourage artists from different disciplines to experiment and interact with each other for the purpose of creating new and challenging productions.

Omar Rajeh, choreographer, dancer and director of Maqamat Dance Theatre, studied Theatre and Dance Arts at universities in Lebanon and England. In 2002, after having worked and performed with several groups, directors and choreographers in Lebanon and abroad, he founded Maqamat Theatre Dance in Beirut. He has choreographed numerous pieces for the company, which have been performed throughout Europe and in Arab countries. Omar is the founder of BIPOD, an annual contemporary dance festival in Beirut, which presents the work of local and international companies. He has also recently opened TAKWEEN, the Beirut Contemporary Dance School; a new initiative that aims to develop the physical abilities of dance performers and choreographers in Lebanon and the region. www.maqamat.org

Najib Cherradi
The singer and composer Cherradi was born in Morocco into a family of musicians. His great uncle performed classic Arabic songs and introduced him to this tradition, and his grandfather taught him Arabic-Andalusian music and the Malhoun, which is a kind of spoken singing in Moroccan dialect. Cherradi, a Dutch citizen, has lived in Utrecht since 1986. In 1987, he founded the group Weshm, with whom he still performs. Electronic arrangement: Joel Ryan

Cherradi connects classical Arabic music to other forms, such as ‘gwana’, Sufi music and ‘touva’ singing. For this, he uses texts from modern and ancient Arab poets and uses a wide variety of instruments to play the compositions and to accompany his singing. He constantly explores links between traditional and modern music, searching out new forms, rhythms, melodies and meanings.

Cherradi has composed and performed music for various films and documentaries and for theatre and dance pieces. These include KLM Cargo and De Perzen for the theatre group Hollandia. He composed the opera Aisha and the Women of Medina for Het Onafhankelijk Toneel, and composed and arranged the music for Tempus Fugit by the well-known choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.

Technical director: Hasan Salame
Scenography: Fadi Yeni Turk
Choreography: Omar Rajeh
Director: Omar Rajeh
Sound engineer: Basel Kasem
Performed by: Ahmad Ghossein, Mia Habis, Lisette Chehadeh, Ali Chahrour, Omar Rajeh
Production manager: Sara Boutine
Projection graphics: Omar Safa, Mariam Agha
Poster, program & All print designer: Fluid Communication Design
Photography & Continuity: Houssam Mchaeimech
Translator: Lynn Rahme
Research and Documentation: Mazen Maarouf
Music Composed: Najib Cherradi – Weshm
Solo for Ahmad Ghossein composed: Jean Madani
Traitement electronique: Joel Rayan
Producer: Maqamat Theatre Dance, Bonlieu Scene Nationale Annecy-France
Co-producer: Theatre Agora Evry-France, Dancing on the Edge Festival-Netherlands, Tanzhaus nrw-Germany