THE STORY OF 'A FATE SYMPHONY'
Welcome to the brand new rock opera of Medea: ​‘A Fate Symphony'
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This time my new job was a great source of inspiration to get to this unique concept.
As a coördinator in nursing of an EMU (Epilepsy Monitoring Unit), I got in touch with very interesting themes which inspired me a lot. I wanted this to be reflected in a musical way. And this is how I was able to make a very special link between the theme of epilepsy and the Dutch history.
2004, Delft
In today’s medical world, innovative developments are common practise. This also applies to the treatment of epilepsy in the Netherlands. However, the epilepsy treatment through thermo coagulation is still in its infancy and doctors are still being reluctant.
A young man named Lucas, experiences this for himself. He’s struggling with the many seizures and the severe consequences of his hard-to-treat form of epilepsy. Even though he has consulted many doctors and has had many different courses of medication, it’s still not possible to get his epilepsy under control. Because of that he has lost faith in the medical world. But then… he gets in touch with dr. Koháry, a mysterious Hungarian neuroscientist. This man claims to be able to cure him and give him back his normal life, a life without seizures. For that Lucas has to come to his medical practise which is located in Cachtice, a small place in Slovakia, formerly Hungary.
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However, Dr. Koháry has other intentions. As a devoted follower of Protestantism, he developed an obsession to be able to eradicate Catholicism. He thinks he could realise this by preventing the murder of William of Orange, one of the most influential opponents of strict Catholicism in the past. With his special therapy, based on thermo coagulation and hypnosis, he can get inside the brain of his patients and get back into the past to influence their actions and thinking. In this way, he’s trying to change the course of history. In his ultimate quest for the murderer of William of Orange, he also encounters legendary historical figures.
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Despite the risks and rebuttals of his family, Lucas decided, distraught and naive as he is, to take the step and still travel to Cachtice…
GUEST MUSICIANS
CHARACTERS
Bart Schwertmann
(Kayak)
...as Lucas, a young man, who's struggling with the impact of having
a severe form of seizure disorder.
John 'Jaycee' Cuijpers
(Praying Mantis, Van Hagar)
… as dr. Istvan Koháry, an Hungarian neurologist and scientist,
who schemes to change history in order to create a world without
the strict Catholicism.
Joss Mennen
(Zinatra, Mennen)
… as Balthasar Gérard, a strict Catholic Frenchman, the ultimate target
of dr. Koháry, because of the assassination of William of Orange.
Bas Dolmans
(Xystus, Equilibrio)
… as Hugo Grotius, a Dutch famous legally qualified man,
who escaped in a book chest from the castle of Loevenstein.
Sandra Peeters
(Sandy Bloom, V-Male, T.A.G.)
… as Maria van Reigersberch, the wife of Hugo Grotius.
She helped him to escape from the Castle of Loevenstein.
Robbie van Stiphout
(Day Six, Rattlesnake Shake)
… as György Thurzó, a powerful Hungarian magnate and count,
who unmasked the practice of the blood countess Erzsébet Báthory.
Noor van de Voort
(In-Tension, Idris)
… as Erzsébet Báthory, a rich, beautiful and highly educated countess from Hungary, known as the greatest serial killer of all time. Her nickname in history is ‘blood countess’
Ernst Le Cocq 'd Armandville
(Casual Silence, The Bad Backbones, Stardusters,)
… as Willem Barentzs, the Dutch seaman, explorer and cartographer
who ‘s on his 3rd voyage to find the North passage.
He stranded on the coast of Nova Zembla.
Jo de Boeck
(ex-Beyond The Labyrinth)
… as Gerrit de Veer, ship’s carpenter and writer, part of the crew on board of the ship on its voyage to find the North passage.
Marloes Kooter, Babz Verhoeven
Josien Obers & Inge van Asseldonk
(The Vocalettes)
… as Charlotte de Bourbon, Anna van Saksen,
Louise de Cologny & Anna van Buren,
the married wives of William of Orange. They all had their own immense importance for his way of living.