Eight years ago, Wende Snijders and Gerard Bouwhuis premiered Tarenskeen’s version of Schubert’s song cycle Winterreise in the Muziekgebouw. Now Boudewijn Tarenskeen focuses on another monument from world literature, Dantes Divina Commedia. In this new theatrical recital, the colorful and temperamental soprano Bernadeta Astari depicts Dante’s journey through hell, purgatory and paradise by using Javanese elements.

In HELL, Boudewijn Tarenskeen approaches the Divina Commedia from the Old Javanese tradition. Both the composer and Astari have roots in Indonesia. Their approach to medieval Italian poetry and the bel canto of Italian opera undoubtedly produces a unique version.