Muziektheater Transparant : Façade : The World of Mata-Hari

The story of the legendary erotic dancer and alleged spy Mata Hari in a theatrical song recital. In peacetime, she was hailed as exotic dancer and loved by the most powerful men of the continent. In wartime, she was mercilessly executed by the same men as an alleged spy. Why can we - one hundred years after her death – still not solve her mystery? In this theatrical song recital, her story is narrated by actor Josse De Pauw on a movie screen from the several perspectives of the many men in and after her life. Soprano Claron McFadden and pianist Claire Chevallier offer a rebuttal with music of Mata Hari's contemporaries and with letters of the illustrious dancer herself.

Flagey, Leeuwarden & Fryslân – Europese Cultuurhoofdsteden / Capitales européennes de la culture 2018, Théâtre de la Croix-Rousse Lyon, deSingel, Operadagen Rotterdam

 “A musical portrait of Mata Hari played and sung with verve and musical zest.”

“Based on original letters and memoirs, Mata Hari's life is narrated and besung with plenty of 'Schwung'.”

“Chevallier accompanies McFadden from behind her grand piano with warm, flowing and soft tones. Her piano playing is flexible and not too expressive. This means her music lends itself excellently as an accompaniment to McFadden's expressive, dynamic and colourful soprano. She sings in French, German and English. Warm, cold, frank or in fact very modest. She graciously portrays all the women Mata-Hari was.”

“ ... played with Love, electrifying music theatre ...”

Els Van Steenberghe - Knack Focus - 11 September 2017

“The songs - almost all French songs, with the exception of Schönberg's Gigerlette and Walton's Old Sir Faulk - fit perfectly in the series of memories and flashbacks.”

Il Grand’ Inquisitor - 9 September 2017