On December 20 and 21, 2025, the Blauwe Zaal at DE SINGEL in Antwerp will host “Symphony for One Hundred Citizens and a Traffic Light,” a collaborative project between theater maker Thomas Verstraeten and composer Heleen Van Haegenborgh. This performance transforms everyday urban sounds into a large-scale symphony, featuring one hundred Antwerp residents as performers.
The composition eschews traditional orchestral instruments, instead incorporating elements such as revving car engines, clinking glasses from a terrace, barking dogs, the sound of a wheeled suitcase on cobblestones, a street guitarist’s song, a road worker’s jackhammer, a clock striking twelve, and birdsong. These sounds collectively form a sculptural collage that captures the essence of the city’s daily life.
Verstraeten, known for his previous works like “Seefhoek Series” and “Familiestraat,” continues his exploration of urban environments by focusing on the entire city of Antwerp in this project. Van Haegenborgh, a composer and pianist with a background in contemporary music and extended techniques, brings her compositional expertise to the collaboration.
The performance is a co-production involving DE SINGEL, Toneelhuis, and De Warande, with musical direction by Tom De Cock. It draws inspiration from participatory experiments like Avraamov’s “Hooter Symphonies,” which utilized industrial sounds to create large-scale noise symphonies. This project aims to create a contemporary musical piece using the sounds of the city as its foundation.
Following the live performances, a video installation of the project will be featured in the exhibition “An Invisible City” at De Warande in Turnhout from March 8 to August 30, 2026. This exhibition invites viewers to perceive the city differently, highlighting how memories and dreams intertwine with the tangible aspects of urban life.
“Symphony for One Hundred Citizens and a Traffic Light” offers a unique auditory experience that reflects the dynamic and multifaceted nature of Antwerp’s urban landscape.
Composers in the crosshairs of our attention