The 'Cry of the Earth' being performed in the Netherlands. Photo: Photo courtesy of Leidse koorprojecten.
Cry of the Earth
Inge Herrebout recalls an inspiring performance in the Netherlands
Last summer we put on Cry of the Earth in Leiden, Netherlands. I would like to share, with British Friends, memories of a wonderful performance. The music was by Tony Biggin and the libretto by Alec Davison.
You are so blessed to have these two men with you, who make such great music and text. Many of you sang in the never to be forgotten first performance of The Gates of Greenham in the Royal Festival Hall, London, when it was performed on Easter Monday 1985 (the women’s protest against nuclear arms), and in Cry of the Earth, and smaller projects.
My daughter Karin and I came over to sing in these performances and we were so enthusiastic about them that the conductor’s wife, Clare Wesselius, of the Leiden Student Choir, got interested and suggested that we would perform these works here. And so we did. The Gates of Greenham was even televised here and some British Friends came over to sing with us. Later, we performed Cry of the Earth twice. Both performances were a great success. The texts and music were so moving that it literally changed some people’s lives. All this was in the 1990s.
The harm that is being done to nature is not improving – on the contrary – and the ‘cry of the earth’ is still being heard all around the globe. The Leiden Student Choir chooses music that has a message. It was always a great wish of Clare Wesselius that we should sing Cry of the Earth again. Sadly, Clare died, unexpectedly, last year and it was decided that we should sing this work in her memory. Tony Biggin shortened the original version. This made it easier to perform and, before the interval, we sang a Requiem by Bob Chilcott.
The big church in Leiden was crowded. Gaia as Mother Earth (beautifully sung by Hyacinth Nicholls) calls three witnesses – Water, Earth and Air – to bring their hurts before us; and soloists, choir and two actors respond. With images of a destroyed forest, poisoned water and air pollution, it came over strongly. Fortunately, Gaia is open to the plea of all singers to change their way of living and agrees to the bond that is being made: ‘This is our bond and our covenant. We shall live with reverence for the whole of life and honour the integrity of creation. We are co-creators and partners with the Spirit and in this unity we find our wholeness and the world’s intrinsic sanctity.’
The beautiful music and text came over movingly and there was great applause for all who had participated. Tony Biggin had come over and he received a special applause. There was quite an involvement by Friends: the soprano soloist was Dorothy Grandia; my daughter Karin was the actress (Tony and Alec made special changes in the score) – she is the London business woman and her husband Wijnand Stomp the African villager – and there were Quaker singers in the choir.
My Meeting gave financial support to the project and we placed an advertisement for Quaker Meetings – as we saw the performance as outreach. I hope British Friends might consider performing Cry of the Earth again. I would love to come over to sing…
