The sea is no more to be mocked than fate itself. Both take their toll, regardless of circumstances, entreaties or attempts at bribery.

Young Ivo  is under a curse: as soon as his wife becomes pregnant, he will be devoured by the sea. So it happened to his father, so it happened to his twin brother. Anyone who has ever heard of Oedipus knows that you cannot escape your fate, and if it is written in the stars that your life will end in the waves, you will drown, even if there is no sea nearby. In a manner of speaking, this, since the sea is audibly present in The Children of the Sea.

With the first notes of the overture, it rustles and swells and storms… How visual do you want your music to be? It couldn’t be more explicit, it’s expressionism at its finest.

Lodewijk Mortelmans

The Children of the Sea by Belgian composer Lodewijk Mortelmans (1868-1952) had its premiere – unsuccessfully – in 1920, and the disillusioned composer adapted it into a 90-minute suite, half of which has now been recorded by Phaedra. The late-Romantic idiom is very appealing to me, as is the story in verse by Raf Verhulst. Indeed, I am quite impressed.

The performance is more than sublime. Dirk Vermeulen makes the Württembergische  Philharmonie Reutlingen play as if their lives depend on it, it is breathtaking!

Liesbeth Devos (Stella) is a true discovery for me. Her crystal-clear soprano is extremely pleasant to listen to and her vocal acting admirable.

Peter Gijsbertsen sings a moving Ivo, in this role he is truly inimitable for me. How beautiful and warm his voice has become! Werner van Mechelen (Peter) completes this stellar cast.

Werner van Mechelen sings Ballade van de Zee (Ballad of the See)

˜Ellen” on lyrics by Frederik van Eeden (Gijsbrecht) and ˜Als de Ziele luistert”/ “When the Soul listens” (Devos) complete the ˜Mortelmans segment”, but there are also songs and arias by Peter Aerts and August de Boeck.

Liesbeth Devos sings Als de Ziele luistert/When the Soul listens:

Liesbeth Devos sings Francesca’s Cantilene from August de Boeck’s La Route d’Emeraude:

This CD is a MUST!