The Golden Stool tells the story of Nana Yaa Asantewaa and her struggle of resistance, while at the same time reflecting on the Director’s dual roots. The energy of the singing, the beats of the body and of the earth spring to life with the most famous arias of the Western classical opera repertoire (from Handel to Bizet, from Verdi to Vivaldi, through Beethoven), giving life to an “AfrOpera”: a courageous and challenging game of appropriations and re-appropriations that pulsates with a strong symbolic energy.
Bio
Gorges Ocloo (1988, Koforidua-Ghana) studied at the Royal Institute for Theatre, Cinema and Sound (RITCS) in Brussels, where he obtained his master’s degree in Theatre Direction. Shortly after graduating, he created his first production: Scarlet Anansi Ocloo with Tania Van Der Sanden, Hilde Van Mieghem and Ineke Nijsens. “The Golden Stool” will be his third production, after Moby Dick, at last Queequeg speaks (2020) and The Butcher (2021), as a resident artist at LOD muziektheater. He is also creating new productions for / with De Maan (Mechelen), Theater Antigone (Kortrijk), hetpaleis (Antwerp), Het Arsenaal (Mechelen) and B-Classic (Tongeren/ Genk). In the past, he worked for theatre and film productions such as Oeps (Theater Antigone), Futur Simple (De Maan), Europa in de herfst / Europe in the fall (Theater Malpertuis), Problemski hotel (Manu Riche), and many more. As a multidisciplinary artist, his artist path is very diverse: from contemporary dance, performance art, visual arts and scenography to composing music for theatre and dance productions. Gorges is a politically correct and incorrect artist who seeks the boundaries the stage, the actors, music, esthetics and content. He also has a passion for his father’s culture of voodoo and traditional rituals. To him, this culture is the embodiment of performance, playing, acting and being. In 2022, Gorges Ocloo won the Ultima prize for ‘Emerging Talent
Credits
direction, libretto, composition, scene, costumes GORGES OCLOO
Soprano Nobulumko Mngxekeza-Nziramasanga
Mezzo-Soprano Nonkululeko Nkwinti
Chorus, Dance And Percussion Doris Bokongo Nkumu, Nathalie Bokongo Nkumu, Gloria Biney,
Titilayo Oliha, Saar-Niragire De Groof, Briana Stuart, Mai?Mouna Badjie, Somalia Williamson
Assistant Composer And Chorus Director Joris Minten
Libretto Assistant Josse De Pauw
Dramaturgy Tom Rummens
Music Consultant Katherina Lindekens
Production Director Eva De Wolf
Assistant Director Karlien Torfs
Production Credits
production LOD MUSIC THEATRE & TONEELHUIS
co-production OPERA BALLET FLANDERS
with the support of ENOA & THE TAX SHELTER MEASURE OF THE BELGIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
