Heiner Goebbels: A House of Call - Goebbels itches a scratch, itches again and scratches again...

Royal Festival Hall, 25th March 2023

Heiner Goebbels' A House of Call, premiered last night at the Royal Festival Hall with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The piece was conducted by Vimbayi Kaziboni (Artistic advisor of the Boston Lyric Opera, artist-in-residence with the International Contemporary Ensemble) through a dynamic, but highly effective alternative staging of the orchestra. It shouldn't be ignored that Geobbels is an talented director and has previously been a recipient of the Europe Theatre Prize. Lighting choices and movement throughout the orchestra was resourceful and impactful, and players became very much actors during this collective, dramatic work.

Goebbels' drew in a highly engaged audience through multiple percussion and piano techniques. Sharp motifs draw the audience into a sense of security, only to later, be woken with lighting and thunder through piecing fragments of terror and anguish. The LPO performed this piece with a true devotion.

To sit in the audience during A House of Call was a transcending experience. You could hear a pin drop in the hall. The pre-performance and post performance talk was a wonderful addition to the day - it felt inclusive and useful.