VERLAINE

poète maudit

In 1884 an anthology composed by Paul Verlaine named  'Les poètes maudits' was published; misunderstood or socially maladjusted, reviled poets. This album featured work by himself, Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Mallarmé and others. Why were these poets seen as outcasts? It might have something to do with the themes they wrote about and the lifestyle they upheld. Some topics from their lyrical arts include: drugs, alcohol abuse, free love, Satanism, crime, sinful living, disease, perversions and fatal self-destructive behavior.

The substantive point of departure for this art of poetry is actually a very romantic one: the freedom of the poet on the one hand and its limitation on the other by the demands and prevailing conventions of society. This makes them flee in all the above ways and makes their poetry a 'write-off' in which their decadentism is rampant. This creates a world in itself that is completely at odds with what one might consider neat or ‘in line’. But let it be precisely that which often attracts and inspires great artists. The forbidden fruits are the tastiest, aren't they?

Frowned upon by society, but embraced by fellow artists, Verlaine's poetry was picked up and used very intensely in French song art of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Composers such as Claude Debussy and Gabriel Fauré were in contact with Verlaine during their lives and cherished a great affinity with his writings.

Music by these masters to poems by Verlaine is interspersed with correspondence, texts and stories about his turbulent life. Stefaan Degand takes on the role of this poète maudit.

Performers

Werner VAN MECHELEN - bass-baritone

Stefaan DEGAND - actor

Florestan Bataillie - pianist, writer

Desguin Kwartet

*With music by Fauré and Debussy

Tour dates

20/09/2020: De Bijloke (Ghent)

24/09/2020: CC Overijse

26/09/2020: CC Blankenberge

09/10/2020: CC Dilbeek

10/10/2020: Sint-Anna-ten Drieënkerk (Antwerpen)

23/10/2020: CC Knokke

25/10/2020: CC Harelbeke

09/06/2021: Festival Der Voorkempen (Schilde)

20/04/2022*: CC Ninove

21/04/2022*: CC Schilde

17/07/2022: Festival de Wallonie

*Performances in 2022 with Ivan Pecnik instead of Stefaan Degand