Secretly
: : Cantata for 3 voices, 4 cellos, electronics

Composer Henry Vega's latest work, Secretly, brings a fresh and powerful perspective to the life of Alan Turing in a groundbreaking cantata that explores the highs and lows of his existence. Pairing a cello quartet with an electrifying performance by the infamous Dutch theater collective, Club Gewalt, this release offers an intense, visceral journey through Turing's complex life, portraying his struggles and triumphs in a way never before heard.

Teaming up with long-time collaborators Club Gewalt, Vega masterfully intertwines raw, emotional vocals with dramatic storytelling. Their explosive and haunting performances serve as the perfect vehicle to express Turing's emotional depth and societal struggles. Drawing inspiration from the provocative works of playwright Sarah Kane among others, Secretly confronts the challenges of mental diversity in a society slow to adapt, shedding light on the painful realities of exclusion and self-discovery.

Musically, the composition moves chronologically through Turing's life, starting in the backdrop of post-Victorian England as it transitions into the 20th century where Turing's early fascination with patterns emerges in the face of sweeping social change. Vega illuminates the parallel challenges between Turing's era and our own: the struggle for sexual liberation, the complexity of mental health, espionage, the power of encryption, and the weight of carrying profound secrets – themes that give the work its evocative title.

Club Gewalt
Suzanne Kipping
Loulou Hameleers
Gerty van de Pere

Cello Quartet
Jan Willem Troost
Célia Torres Ruiz
Annie Tangberg
Nina Hitz

* cellos on Wetter
Jan Willem Troost
Jacqueline Hamelink
Eduard van Regteren Altena
Johnathan Butler

Cover photo by Gregor Gobec
Cover Design by Martin Leclercq
Recorded at Studio ARTEk
Mixing and Mastering by Peter Soldan / Dada Studios

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