BALSAM I
Laika & Zefiro Torna present
BALSAM a tantalizing herb laboratory
ECSTASY OF THE SENSES Il est des parfums frais comme des chairs d’enfants, Doux comme les hautbois, verts comme les prairies, Et d’autres, corrompus, riches et triomphants, Ayant l’expansion des choses infinies, Comme l’ambre, le musc, le benjoin et l’encens, Qui chantent les transports de l’esprit et des sens. Extract from the poem Correspondances - Les Fleurs du Mal by Baudelaire (1821-1867)
BALSAM is a tantalizing herb laboratory. An alchemistic concert in which music blends with unusual aromas, tastes and sensations. A concert in which sounds transform into images. The intoxicating music journeys through traditional Portuguese, Greek and Icelandic songs to the mystical sounds of Hildegard von Bingen and fifteenth-century polyphony and from there on to compositions specially written for BALSAM. Songs like Artemisia absinthium and Les roses de Saadi are a tribute to the healing, stimulating and bewitching effect induced by herbs and plants. Drawing on the Bible’s Songs of Songs, on verses by Virgil and Horace and on the poetry of contemporaries Baudelaire and
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Verhaeren, the lyrics tell of the game of love, of longing and heartbreak, of the sweet fragrance of jasmine and the beauty of a tree. Above all, they celebrate nature, which is breathtaking and unfathomable. Fascinating alchemistic processes are performed before your very eyes. Oil solidifies into edible pearls, a bud produces an electrical sensation, a mineral turns out to be a sweet treat. Alchemists conjure up unfamiliar tastes and aromas. BALSAM sets you daydreaming. It is spiritual and sensuous, worldly and celestial. An ode to life and its mysteries.
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MUSIC & ALCHEMY 1. O spectabiles viri Hildegard von Bingen, extract from: ‘Liber Scivias III’ (c.12)
OLIVARUM CINIS CLARO CREPITU explosive olive ash
2. La rosée de larmes Jowan Merckx, text: Publius Virgilius
3. Sous le noyer Jowan Merckx
4. Les roses de Saadi Philippe Laloy, text: Marceline Desbordes-Valmore
DULCEDO ROSARIUM delicacy of rose petals and cashew nuts
5. À un lilas Jowan Merckx, text: François Coppée
6. Yggdrasil Raphaël De Cock, text: traditional folksong from Iceland
SECHOUAN GEMMA FLORIDA szechuan bud
7. Fossegangar Traditional music from Norway, Magnus Stinnerbom, arrangement Philippe Laloy and Jowan Merckx
MARGARITA MELLICULA pearl of honey and propolis
8. Balsamus et munda cera Guillaume du Fay (c.15)
MAGICUM LIGNUM magical type of wood from the Andes region
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9. Sous le figuier I Jowan Merckx
10. Purior in vicis Jowan Merckx, arrangement Jurgen De bruyn, text: Quintius Horatius
ALLIUM MATURUM black garlic, fermented and glazed
11. Sous le figuier II Jowan Merckx
12. Où rien ne bouge Els Van Laethem and Bert Van Laethem, text: Emile Verhaeren
13. Meninas vamos à murta Traditional folksong from Portugal, composition Jowan Merckx
ARTEMESIA ABSINTHIUM stirring drink with seven aromas PANIS CANNABIS OLEATAE ET PASTINACARUM bread seasoned with salt of hempseed oil and ripe parsnip
14. Artemisia Absinthium (polska) Jowan Merckx, arrangement Philippe Laloy
15. To yasemí Traditional folksong from Greece
LAPIS SAPIENTIUM ET VIRGA VITAE the Philosopher’s Stone with sprig of life
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ON ENTERING THE LABORATORY Alchemy was a science practised up until the end of the eighteenth century, when it was replaced by modern chemistry. Alchemist literature is a magical world of strange creatures, fantastic landscapes and dreamy, illogical experiences. An important objective of alchemy in the Arab and Western tradition was the manufacture of the ‘Philosopher’s Stone’, to transmute base metals into gold, to cure illnesses and to extend life. But this is only a symbolic way of describing these processes: alchemy’s ultimate goal was to change the alchemist himself by granting him eternal life. Mortar and pestle The mortar, a cup-shaped receptable, and the pestle, a heavy, blunt object, are implements used since ancient times to crush and mix substances. In the kitchen the mortar is used primarily to grind ingredients to a fine consistency; its use in laboratories is to mill substances to powder. A mortar is indispensable in pharmacies for so-called ‘magistral preparations’, i.e. preparations prepared by hand for human use. The term has its origin in the title magister; so prepared according to the art of a ‘master’ who, legend has it, sought the Philosopher’s Stone.
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The jadagan or chatkan or Siberian harp, which heralds the show, is a stringed instrument originating from Southern Siberia. The six or seven strings were originally made from dried sheep gut stretched over a hollowed-out, spruce-wood trough. Each string runs over a moveable bridge made from the knucklebones of a sheep. The instrument was regarded as sacred and playing it was bound by taboos and rituals. The pentagram, which inspired the set for BALSAM, is created by drawing triangles forming the five points. It is one of the oldest symbols, and stands for (among other things) the perfectly balanced five elements (water, fire, earth, metal and wood) in Taoism and for the five senses.
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The triangle is a symbol often used in alchemy. is the symbol for the element fire, whose qualities are ‘hot’ and ‘dry’ is the symbol for the element water, whose qualities are ‘cold’ and ‘moist’ is the symbol for the element earth, whose qualities are ‘cold’ and ‘dry’ is the symbol for the element air, whose qualities are ‘hot’ and ‘moist’
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O SPECTABILES VIRI The original text by Hildegard von Bingen is an ode to the seers, the visionaries, those with extrasensory perception. It is an invitation to see things from a different perspective, to adopt a new awareness, a new vision of the world. Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), abbess of a Benedictine convent, was one of the twelfth century’s most influential women. She was the first composer in the history of classical music who is known by name. von Bingen is famous for her many visions, which she expressed in her inimitable, sonorous compositions. She also wrote a two-part scientific work containing descriptions of 513 plants, animals, elements, metals and stones along with their medicinal and dietary uses. Part two deals with the healthy and the ill person. Her advice is almost visionary: hygiene, the right food and sufficient rest and movement. Two of her recipes: “If someone has an empty brain and so is vexed by insanity and is delirious, take the whole grains of wheat and cook them in water. Remove these cooked grains from the water and place them all around the sick person’s head, tying a cloth over them. His brain will be reinvigorated by their vital fluid and he may
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recover his health and strength. Do this until he returns to his right mind.” “One whose facial skin has been made rough and coarse by the wind should cook barley in water and apply it to the face with a cloth when it is lukewarm. The skin will become smooth and soft and have a lovely colour.” Calcination or oxidation is the first of the seven steps in the alchemist’s purification process. Substances are heated in a crucible and reduced to powder, ash or dust. Later on, this was interpreted in depth psychological terms as burning the ego – the ego being your social mask, your self-image, which thrives on the approval of others. Popping candy is sugar that starts to crackle and pop when you put it in your mouth. It consists of ordinary sugar and lactose. Carbon dioxide is then added and the substance pressurized. The gas causes a tingling sensation on your tongue and as the sugar melts in your mouth, you hear the crackle. The powder you were given to try contains (among other things) dried olives and a small amount of this popping candy.
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LA ROSÉE DE LARMES The title means literally ‘dew of tears’. The original Latin text describes nature’s endless variety, mirroring the diversity of mankind and society. A song about the wisdom of the trees that is passed on to humans. Principio arboribus varia est natura creandis. Namque aliae nullis hominum cogentibus ipsae sponte sua veniunt camposque et flumina late curva tenent, ut molle siler lentaeque genistae, populus et glauca canentia fronde salicta; pars autem posito surgunt de semine, ut altae castaneae, nemorumque Iovi quae maxima frondet aesculus atque habitae Grais oracula quercus From Virgil’s Georgica (c.1 BC)
Firstly, Nature has manifold ways of rearing trees. For some, under no man’s constraint, spring up of their own free will, and far and wide claim the plains and winding rivers; such as the limber osier and lithe broom, the poplar and the pale willow beds with silvery leafage.
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But some spring from fallen seed, as tall chestnuts, and the mast tree, monarch of the woodland, that spreads its shade for Jove, and the oaks, deemed by the Greeks oracular. The dew point is the atmospheric temperature below which water droplets begin to condense and dew or clouds form. Dry ice, also known as carbon dioxide snow, is the solid form of carbon dioxide or CO2. It occurs when vapour condenses on the cold sublimated gas particles, which are heavier than air. Dry ice is used mainly as a coolant. It is also used as a theatrical device to create low-hanging mist or fog. The composition of tears is very complex. Tears differ from all the other bodily fluids. Among other things, they contain water, egg white, hormones, enzymes, sodium, potassium, immunoglobulins and glucose. There are different types of tears. We almost always have basal tears in our eyes. Their job is to lubricate, nourish and protect the eye. Reflex tears roll when we are exposed to irritation from, for example, wind, smoke or onions. There are also emotional tears, triggered by an overwhelming, negative or positive experience. The three types have a different chemical
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composition. In the case of emotional tears, the composition varies from emotion to emotion. The artist Rose-Lynn Fisher placed tears under a microscope and photographed what she saw. Some photographs resemble aerial photographs with rivers, others snowflakes or the veins of a leaf.
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SOUS LE NOYER Under the nut tree sounds like a medieval round dance. There is something devilish, Dionysian about the sounds of the bass flute and the bagpipes. Dionysus was the most human of all the Greek gods. Besides the vine, he also endowed humanity with the ability to transform through ecstasy and become one with the vital force that animates everything that lives.
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House, garden and kitchen alchemy A concoction of kitchen ingredients brings a snake to life
ingredients † 5 teaspoons icing sugar † ½ teaspoon baking soda † a dash of 80% alcohol
preparation Fill a small cooking ring with three spoons of the icing sugar and place it on a refractory plate. Moisten the icing sugar with a couple of drops of alcohol and press down well. Remove the ring. Carefully mix together the remaining icing sugar and the baking soda and scoop it over the little mound. Set light to it. You’ll see a black snake rise up slowly. This spectacle can take a while.
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LES ROSES DE SAADI J’ai voulu ce matin te rapporter des roses Mais j’en avais tant pris dans mes ceintures closes Que les noeuds trop serrés n’ont pu les contenir Les noeuds ont éclaté. Les roses envolées Dans le vent, à la mer s’en sont toutes allées Elles ont suivi l’eau pour ne plus revenir La vague en a paru rouge et comme enflammée Ce soir, ma robe encore en est tout embaumée Respires-en sur moi l’odorant souveni Marceline Desbordes-Valmore after a poem by Saadi
The verses from this song go back to the ‘Gulistan’ or ‘Rose Garden’ by the thirteenth-century, Persian mystic poet Saadi. The following passage appears in the foreword to that work: “One of the devout who had deeply plunged his head into the cowl of meditation and had been immersed in the ocean of visions, was asked, when he had come out of that state, by one of his companions who had desired to cheer him up: ‘What beautiful gift hast thou brought us from the garden in which thou hast been?’ He replied: ‘I intended to fill the skirts of
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my robe with roses, as presents for my makers, but when I reached the Rose Garden, the perfume of the flowers intoxicated me so much that I let go the hold of my skirts.’” The passage in Saadi shows that the mystical experience cannot be put into words. There is almost no end to the symbolism of roses. A rose represents beauty, psychological strength, healing, happiness, affection and, of course, love. A red rose symbolizes love at its most profound. The white and the red rose stand for ‘albedo’ and ‘rubedo’, literally ‘whiteness’ and ‘redness’ – two stages in the alchemistic process. The white rose is not the red rose’s equal. “I am the white rose which turns all imperfect metals into pure silver.” The white grows out of the black, as if out of the black earth. The white is the first main objective of alchemy and is seen as a higher state, like ‘silver’, ‘moon’ and ‘dawn’. But the highest state, the most sought-after goal, is the red. That is the ‘sunrise’, and it refers to the blood of Christ, which is compared to and identified with the ‘Philosopher’s Stone’, i.e. perfection.
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Recipe for fudge of cashew nuts and roses This highly-rated eastern sweet requires some practice to arrive at perfection. They say that once you have mastered the technique, you can claim the title of honorary citizen of India.
ingredients † † † †
250 gr cashew nuts 120 gr cane sugar 6 cl water handful of dried rose petals
preparation Grind the cashew nuts in the food processor until they are very fine (but don’t grind them for too long or they will lose their oil and you will end up with cashew butter). Melt the sugar in 6 cl water and bring to the boil. Add the ground nuts and stir vigorously for about six minutes until the mixture is thick. Your wooden spoon should be able to stand up in it. Spread the mixture out on a sheet of baking paper, toss rose petals over it and place another sheet of baking powder on top. Roll out the paste to a thickness of 5 mm. Work quickly to prevent the mixture solidifying too soon. Remove the top layer of baking paper and allow the fudge to cool. Cut into small diagonal pieces.
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À UN LILAS Je vois fleurir, assis à ma fenêtre, L’humble lilas de mon petit jardin, Et son subtil arome qui pénètre Vient jusqu’à moi dans le vent du matin Extract from a poem by François Coppée (1842-1908)
A melody as balsam and words about waning love; the sight of a blossoming lilac tree triggers a surge of sadness but also a flood of sweet memories. Overtone singing is a singing technique often practised in Central and North Asia, Tibet, South Africa and Sardinia. In Mongolia the technique is known as throat singing. It sounds like additional overtones.
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YGGDRASIL / FOSSEGANGAR Two works from Iceland and Norway respectively. The short, poetic text of Yggdrasil derives from the Edda, a collection of literary and mythological works from medieval Iceland. Yggdrasil is the name of a mighty ash tree. In Norse cosmology, it is the tree of knowledge and life and the symbol of the endless branched form of everything that is. The branches reach to the heavens and the three roots lead to three wells. ‘Drasil’ is associated with horsepower, motive force and anger. Yggdrasil shows the way to a higher state, the way the shamans follow on a stallion to reach the realm of gods and spirits. He extends from the underworld through the human world to the world of gods and heroes. The bud of the szechuan flower, which you could sample, is also called the toothache plant, or electric daisy. Chewing on a raw bud stimulates the production of saliva, causes a slight numbing of the mouth and cools a burning throat.
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BALSAMUS ET MUNDA CERA The nearest BALSAM comes to a ‘classical’ composition, a fifteenth-century polyphonic work by Guillaume du Fay. The text refers to the Christian administration of the anointing oil, chrism, which is a mixture of consecrated oil, water and aromatic herbs. Chrism “deflects lightning from above and from everything evil. The pregnant woman is kept safe, she is delivered without the woe of birth; keeps us safe from the floods of water, destroys the power of fire, and saves us from sudden death.” Chrism was also administered to new-born babies and to the dying. Palo santo, which translates as ‘sacred wood’, is a wood from the Andes region believed to have magical properties and usages. The shamans believe that as well as a heavenly aroma, the wood has the capacity to heal and purify. In the West it is often sold as incense sticks.
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SOUS LE FIGUIER I A composition with the airs of a lament, as if witnessing a funeral procession. The bagpipes lend it a devilish overtone. Death comes when the devil grabs life by the tail.
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PURIOR IN VICIS The text by the Roman poet Quintius Horatius from the first century BC, is a lament about man’s destructive influence on nature. Nature appears to show deference, but she keeps coming back and derides people for their pride and desire for luxury. The text also refers to lead, from which the rich Romans made their waterpipes. Syrups to dilute wine were kept in lead-lined pots. So members of the Roman elite often suffered the toxic effects of lead, which either led to an early death or caused insanity, as is claimed was the fate of emperors Nero and Caligula. Death is followed by putrefaction, a chemical process that goes hand in hand with fermentation. Fermentation is the fifth step in the alchemistic purification process. At this stage one substance is transformed into another by adding microorganisms. Well-known applications of fermentation are the use of yeast to turn sugar into alcohol and adding bacteria to milk to start the cheesemaking process. The other steps are calcination (cremating), dissolution (dissolving), separation, conjunction (combining), distillation (purifying through evaporation) and coagulation (solidifying). Garlic is a gift from heaven. It improves the sex
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drive by increasing the blood flow to the sexual organs and it has a positive effect on our digestion and airways. Unlike raw garlic, ripened (or fermented) garlic is black in colour. The smell and taste of black garlic are less pungent, but its antioxidizing effect on our organism is considerable. If garlic is recommended for lowering the cholesterol, preventing cancer and reducing the risk of arteriosclerosis, then this can be doubled for black garlic. What you tasted was black, fermented garlic glazed with honey.
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SOUS LE FIGUIER II The last number in this three-part piece is also enshrouded in a melancholy atmosphere of transience and death. We raise a glass by way of consolation and to celebrate life.
Recipe for raspberry and rosemary shrub with tarragon, diluted with cardamon water or vodka ingredients raspberry and rosemary shrub † † † † † † †
1 pomegranate 50 gr cane sugar 175 gr raspberries 1 sprig of rosemary 10 cl water 4 cl rice vinegar 1 cl balsamic vinegar
ingredients infused water † † † †
5 cardamon pods, bruised 0.5 l water or vodka 1 sprig of tarragon (fresh or slightly dried) extra rosemary to garnish
preparation Remove the seeds from the pomegranate and mix them with the sugar, raspberries, rosemary and water in a steel
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pan. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Allow to cool for an hour. Add this to the two sorts of vinegar and mix. Pass the mixture through a sieve and keep cool. Leave to soak for a few days to allow the tastes to develop. For the cardamon water or vodka, mix all the ingredients and leave to infuse in the refrigerator overnight. Combine the two mixtures in a ratio of two parts raspberry-rosemary shrub and three parts cardamon water or vodka.
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OÙ RIEN NE BOUGE The atmosphere of a languid summer’s day. Gentle, sensual, shimmering. Ô le calme jardin d›été où rien ne bouge ! Sinon là-bas, vers le milieu De l’étang clair et radieux, Pareils à des langues de feu, Des poissons rouges. Ce sont nos souvenirs jouant en nos pensées Calmes et apaisées Et lucides - comme cette eau De confiance et de repos. Extract from a poem by Emile Verhaeren (1855-1916)
Time for comfort food: a slice of bread seasoned with za’atar, hempseed oil and ripe parsnip. Za’atar is a spice mixture from the Middle East. It is also the name of a wild oregano. Traditionally the mixture consists of the spice itself, mixed with sesame seeds and sumac (made from tart, red dried berries). These improve concentration and provide strength. The parsnip references the widespread use of all kinds of roots in alchemist medicinal preparations. The root that really captures the imagination is the
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mandrake or alraun. In the Middle Ages it was used to treat colic, fistulas, asthma, whooping cough and piles. Today it is often used to make homeopathic essences recommended for severe pain caused by gout or rheumatism. Some of the substances contained in alraun are poisonous, others sleep-inducing and hallucinogenic. Consequently, the root was a common constituent of medieval witches’ ointments and of love and magic potions. You might say that alraun is one of the oldest drugs. But even more than the medicinal and hallucinogenic effects of the root, it is its shape that is so intriguing. With a little imagination, it resembles the human body. The Greek philosopher Pythagoras described the root as a tiny human being. In the Middle Ages this similarity led people to believe that the root had supernatural powers over the human mind and body. Hildegard von Bingen wrote: “The mandrake is warm and somewhat watery. It grew from that same earth which formed Adam and somewhat resembles a person. When mandrake is dug from the earth, it should be placed in a spring immediately for a day and a night, so that every evil and contrary humour is expelled from it, and it has no more power for magic and phantasms. However, if the plant is pulled from
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the ground and earth is left clinging to it and it is not washed in the prescribed manner, then it is harmful and it can be used for magical arts and witchcraft.” There are many spine-chilling reports relating to the harvesting of the plant. It should be pulled up on a moonless night. It was said that any contact with the plant would lead to death and so it should be dug up by a dog. When pulled out of the ground, the plant dispelled a heart-rending scream, a terrible cry. Instant death or, at best, insanity was the result.
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MENINAS VAMOS À MURTA A joyful ode to life and to sensual love, as expressed in this passage from the traditional Portuguese song: Meninas vamos à murta Meninas vamos à murta Que eu bem na’ sei apanhar Eu bem na’ sei apanhar Debaixo da murtanheira Debaixo da murtanheira Mil abraços te hei-de dar Eu bem na’ sei apanhar Já não tenho coração Já não tenho coração Já mo tiraram do peito Já mo tiraram do peito Onde eu tinha o coração Onde eu tinha o coração Nasceu-me um amor perfeito Já mo tiraram do peito Girls let’s go a myrtle-ing For myrtles I cannot pluck I don’t know how to pluck
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Under the myrtle bush Under the myrtle bush I will give you a thousand caresses I don’t know how to pluck I no longer have a heart I no longer have a heart They took it from my chest They took it from my chest Where I had my heart Where I had my heart A perfect love was born They took it from my chest In Greek mythology myrtle is associated with the goddess of love Aphrodite. In Jewish mysticism, myrtle represents the phallic, masculine force that is at work in the universe. As the plant was believed to bring happiness in marriage and fertility, it was used when blessing the marriage bed. Consequently, the bridegroom was given myrtle branches when he entered the nuptial chamber after his wedding.
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ARTEMISIA ABSINTHIUM The melody is an enticement to carefree intoxication and light-headedness. Artemisia absinthium, also known as wormwood, mugwort, absinthe, etc., is a staple ingredient in the drink absinthe and is what gives alcoholic drinks, such as Campari, Cynar and Fernet Branca, a bitter taste. Very occasionally it is used to replace hops in British ale. The sweet tasting you were offered is a reference to the Philosopher’s Stone, a legendary, mysterious alchemistic substance used to turn various metals into silver or gold. The Stone was also seen as a medicine against all ailments and as a life-lengthening agent. The total alchemistic process intended to result in the ‘Stone’ was known as the ‘Great Work’ (opus magnum). Alchemists referred to themselves as philosophers, which explains the origin of the name.
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Recipe for the Philosopher’s Stone ingredients † † † † † †
Total 560 gr icing sugar 600 gr water 300 gr egg white 300 gr ground almonds 300 gr ground hazelnuts 15 gr activated charcoal
1 200 gr 220 gr 150 gr 150 gr 150 gr 5 gr
2 360 gr 380 gr 150 gr 150 gr 150 gr 8 gr
preparation Bring 220 gr water to the boil with 200 gr icing sugar. In it dissolve the finely ground charcoal. Beat 150 gr egg whites until stiff and add to it a fine trickle of the sugar water. Beat until the mixture has cooled and finally stir in the ground almonds and hazelnuts. Shape it into little stones. Bake in the oven at 160° for 20 minutes, then leave to stand in the oven at 100° for at least three hours. Switch the oven off and leave the stones to harden overnight. Break the stones into pieces and repeat the preparation with the quantities from column 2. At the end, mix in the pieces from 1 and make them into little coals on baking trays. Bake in the oven at 160° for 20 minutes, then for three hours at 100° and finally allow them to extinguish in the oven. Finish with 2 gr charcoal and a fresh herb of your choice.
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TO YASEMI The fragrance of jasmine, or yasemi in Greek, has been synonymous with seduction since time immemorial. Today jasmine is still used in the game of seduction. In Algeria and Tunisia lovers give each other tiny ice-cream cones made from budding jasmine flowers sewn together. The cones release their potent bouquet when the flower buds break open, symbolizing sexual pleasure. The fragrance is even stronger after sunset or with a waning moon. The buds and flowers are edible and, like the extremely expensive oil, boost the libido. The traditional Greek folksong goes like this: To yasemí stin pórta sou, yasemí mou, írtha na se kladépso, okh, yiavrí mou, ke nómise i mana sou, yasemí mou, pos írtha na se klépso, okh, yiavrí mou. To yasemí stin pórta sou, yasemí mou,
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moskhovolá tis strátes, okh, yiavrí mou, ki i mirodiá tou i polí, yasemí mou, sklavóni tous diavátes, okh, yiavrí mou.
This jasmine outside your door My jasmine I came to prune it Oh, my love And your mother thought that My jasmine I came to steal you Oh, my love This jasmine outside your door My jasmine spreads a heavenly perfume in the streets and because of its overpowering aroma My jasmine passers-by linger there like slaves Oh, my love
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BALSAM Laika and Zefiro Torna in a coproduction with Le Channel, scène nationale de Calais and Le Volcan, scène nationale du Havre PREMIERE January 31st 2020, Le Channel, scène nationale de Calais musical concept, lute, baroque guitar and chitarrone Jurgen De bruyn sensory concept Peter De Bie and Sara Sampelayo final direction Jo Roets vocals Elly Aerden, Raphaël De Cock and Jurgen De bruyn jadagan Elly Aerden flutes, soprano saxophone and composition Philippe Laloy recorders, French bagpipes, bugle, percussion, ukelele and compositions Jowan Merckx uilleann pipes, bawu, jadagan, kaval, Hardanger fiddle, harmonic flutes, Jew’s harp, duduk and overtone singing Raphaël De Cock bass clarinet Jean-Philippe Poncin alchemists Peter De Bie, Sara Sampelayo/Simone Milsdochter and Bram Smeyers/Arnout Vandamme costumes Manuela Lauwers dramaturgy Mieke Versyp ‘injected’ by contemporary alchemist Alexandre Gauthier technical aspects and production Pieter Smet, Rik Van Gysegem, Anton Van Haver, Marlies Jacques, Thomas Stevens and Tom Daniels in association with Kopspel vzw with the support of the Flemish Community and the Federal Belgian Government’s Tax Shelter scheme The music heard in BALSAM was published on CD by Antarctica Records.
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ZEFIRO TORNA The internationally renowned vocal-instrumental ensemble Zefiro Torna brings to life the cultural heritage of the middle ages, renaissance and baroque in a unique way. Zefiro Torna does not limit itself to a merely historical approach, but combines this with other musical traditions, as well as literature, science, philosophy and contemporary art expressions in the field of visual arts, theatre and dance. This results in captivating and comprehensive concepts with a variety of symbolical or allegorical themes. The musicians of BALSAM play classical instruments like lute, theorbo, baroque guitar, recorder, (bass) flute, saxophone, (bass) clarinet, flugelhorn. Lesser known instruments like the Hardanger fiddle, jadagan, kaval or duduk refer to ancient traditions from countries like Norway, Mongolia, Balkan... These instruments have a special place in the timeless music of Zefiro Torna.
LAIKA, THEATRE OF THE SENSES Laika makes ‘theatre of the senses’. Theatre that starts from new or existing theatre scripts and theatre inspired by contemporary or classical prose from world literature. Theatre that appeals to the senses. Theatre that is bound up with the art of cooking and the pleasure of eating together.
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Peter De Bie and Jo Roets are the artistic driving forces behind the company. They are joined by artists from different disciplines who deliver the company’s hallmark: clear, expressive and sensory shows for children, young people and adults, all of which foster a childlike sense of wonder. Laika stages productions in halls and auditoria, large and small, but doesn’t hesitate to venture beyond the theatre. For example, site-specific projects, sometimes out in the open air, are part of the repertoire. Laika often joins forces with other companies at home and abroad to make co-productions and is much in demand at international festivals. Laika is all about smelling, feeling, seeing, hearing and tasting; about sampling epic stories and simple tales, new dishes and unfamiliar worlds.
www.laika.be www.facebook.com/Laika.theater.der.zinnen www.instagram.com/laika.theater.der.zinnen www.youtube.com/LaikaTheatreCompany www.zefirotorna.be www.facebook.com/zefirotorna/ www.instagram.com/zefiro.torna Laika is subsidized by the Flemish Community. Zefiro Torna receives subsidies from the Flemish Community and the City of Mechelen. Publisher Wim Smet, Albrecht Rodenbachstraat 21, B-2140 Borgerhout Illustrations: Wouter Vanhaelemeesch, Design: Gerard Leysen/Afreux Printing: De Wrikker
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