The Divina Commedia by the Florentine poet Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) is one of the absolute highlights of Western literature. The third part of this triptych offers a grand vision of pure light and bliss, with the apotheosis of the contemplation of the divine Trinity. Jakob Ter Veldhuis was inspired by this Paradiso to create his eponymous 'video oratorio'. Beauty of melody and sound play an
… important role in this production, although (unlike Dante's) the shameless and banal is widely discussed. The unabashed brass chatter with which the music opens is just as vulgar as the opening of the Eurovision song contest. At Ter Veldhuis, this kind of parody grows above itself through highly chosen samples of text fragments (in this case of the crew of one of the Apollo flights). What follows is a divine mix of clichés and vulgarity. Matters that the smart Dante unceremoniously referred to his hell are purified by Ter Veldhuis in a heavenly light. And so during this Ascension we not only encounter a jubilant TV minister, but also a hilarious Heaven of Lust and a heavily drugged Chet Baker in the Heaven of Narcotics. The premiere of Paradiso was very unfortunate the day after the attacks on the WTC in New York. Out of respect for the victims, silence was observed beforehand. However, nothing came of the planned silence after the concert, because the wildly enthusiastic audience could not resist the applause. (HJ) are purified by Ter Veldhuis in a heavenly light. And so during this Ascension we not only encounter a jubilant TV minister, but also a hilarious Heaven of Lust and a heavily drugged Chet Baker in the Heaven of Narcotics. The premiere of Paradiso was very unfortunate the day after the attacks on the WTC in New York. Out of respect for the victims, silence was observed beforehand. However, nothing came of the planned silence after the concert, because the wildly enthusiastic audience could not resist the applause. (HJ) are purified by Ter Veldhuis in a heavenly light. And so during this Ascension we not only encounter a jubilant TV minister, but also a hilarious Heaven of Lust and a heavily drugged Chet Baker in the Heaven of Narcotics. The premiere of Paradiso was very unfortunate the day after the attacks on the WTC in New York. Out of respect for the victims, silence was observed beforehand. However, nothing came of the planned silence after the concert, because the wildly enthusiastic audience could not resist the applause. (HJ) Out of respect for the victims, silence was observed beforehand. However, nothing came of the planned silence after the concert, because the wildly enthusiastic audience could not resist the applause. (HJ) Out of respect for the victims, silence was observed beforehand. However, nothing came of the planned silence after the concert, because the wildly enthusiastic audience could not resist the applause. (HJ)more
