Rumi
The wound is the place where the light enters you
Where Baroque and Ottoman Music Merge — in Dance
Concerto Copenhagen
Aylin Sezer - Soprano
Hakan Ronas Uyrum - Turkish Ney
Emma Farnell-Watson - Dance and choreography
Rijndert van Woudenberg - Concept and composition
Kenza Koutchoukali - Stage director
Impresario - Andreas Richter Cultural Consulting Berlin
&
Impresario - De Vries Artists
European tour 2027 - 2028
In a world increasingly marked by polarization and hardness, there are still oases of illumination — islands of thought captured in exquisite poetry, timeless words that liberate us and guide us toward the ultimate divine destination: love.
At the heart of the theatrical concert Rumi -The Wound is the Place Where the Light Enters You lie the writings of the Sufi mystic Rumi. This performance traces the transformation of the human soul — a gradual journey from an unconscious, ego-bound state to complete freedom and spiritual enlightenment.
Rumi – The Wound Is the Place Where the Light Enters You
blends the timeless poetry of the 13th-century mystic Rumi with a rich musical palette of Baroque ensemble, traditional Ottoman instruments, percussion, and soprano voice. A contemporary solo dance performance adds a powerful visual dimension, giving physical form to Rumi’s words.
Exploring love, longing, and the search for divine truth, the music moves between silence, Ottoman echoes, and luminous soundscapes, tracing a journey from darkness to light.
Inspired by Rumi’s insight — “The wound is the place where the light enters you” — this theatrical concert offers a contemporary interpretation of the seven stages of consciousness in Sufism. Through the symbolism of the Sema ceremony and the symbolic meaning of breath, contemporary classical and Ottoman music unite in a compelling dramatic arc: an inner metamorphosis in concert form.
Aylin Sezer
Soprano
Soprano Aylin Sezer has performed various roles such as Violetta, Nedda, Pamina, Micaëla, Tatiana, and Nele (in Jan van Gilse’s Thijl, which was nominated for Best Rediscovered Work in 2019 by the International Opera Awards) with various Dutch opera companies, including Dutch Touring Opera, Opera Zuid, and Opera Spanga. Aylin also had the pleasure of singing Pamina in Peter Brook's production of The Magic Flute during its world tour with Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord. In the summer of 2021, Aylin performed at the prestigious Prinsengrachtconcert in Amsterdam with the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. During the 2014-2015 season, she was a member of the Young Ensemble of the Flemish Opera, where she sang roles such as Emma (Khovanshchina), Fünfte Magd, Despina, and Zerlina. Aylin has a Turkish father and a Dutch mother. She was born and raised in Istanbul, and she moved to the Netherlands for her conservatory studies. She received her bachelor's degree from the Royal Conservatory and her master's degree from the Dutch National Opera Academy with a distinction for "exceptional artistic quality".
Hakan Ronas Uyrum
Ney
Hakan Ronas Uyrum is a gifted ney player from Amsterdam, whose profound connection to the instrument began at an early age. His musical path led him to Istanbul, where he studied with master neyzen Mustafa Hakan Alvan, and later to Codarts Conservatory in Rotterdam, where he was mentored by the legendary Kudsi Erguner.
Over the years, Ronas has emerged as one of the most expressive and promising ney players of his generation. He is a regular member of the Tevazu Sufi Music Ensemble and has collaborated with leading contemporary groups, including the renowned Asko|Schönberg ensemble.
Most recently, he toured with the Niite Ensemble in de Nachwacht, an interdisciplinary theater production by director Guy Weizman that seamlessly blends music, dance, and visual art.
Emma Farnell-Watson
Dance and choreography
Emma’s work spans both screen and stage. Drawing from her own dance career working with notable contemporary companies such as Hofesh Shechter and an extensive range of commercial brands, she has developed her own creative language and voice as a maker. She aspires to create a unique movement language that captives and moves audiences, emotionally and intellectually.
Performance
Emmas career spans over both the contemporary and commercial fields. She has toured internationally with Jasmin Vardimon Company and currently with Hofesh Shechter Company.
She has choreographed for Magnum, Adidas, Marimekko, Burberry, Freya Ridings, Jamie Cullum, Hikaru Utada, Concerto Copenhagen, Canne Film Festival and Marks and Spencer, aswell as assisted on videos for George Ezra, Baby Queen and Sandman Season 2 for Netflix.
She loves to continue working for stage and has made work for English National Ballets Youth Company and Immersive Theatre Company, RIFT.
Dorike van Genderen
Stage director
Dorike van Genderen made her debut as stage director in 2021 at the Dutch National Touring Opera. She brought a pocket version of La Traviata which was very well received by press and audiences. The production already got a revival in the next season.
Dorike learned the art of directing via her collaboration with renowned stage directors such as Pierre Audi, Katie Mitchell, Terry Gilliam, Christof Loy and Dmitri Tcherniakov.
Her work brought her to many different theaters like Gran Teatre del Liceu, Theater an der Wien, Dutch National Opera and Komische Oper Berlin.
In Germany she directed Hänsel & Gretel for the Bochum Symphoniker, based on the production of Lotte de Beer. For this production she worked together with Yannick Verweij who was in charge of scenography and puppeteers.
She also was responsible for several revivals from amongst others Lotte de Beer and the well known German stage director and artist Achim Freyer. With Freyer Dorike will work as co-director in 2027.
Dorike also very much likes to work with young talent. She created a pocket version of Káťa Kabanová with young singers and actors for the Salzburger Festspiele in collaboration with the Wiener Philharmoniker.
Instrumentation:
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
Horn
Percussion
Theorbo/Oud
Soprano
Violin
Violin
Viola
Cello
Double bass
Ney
Qanûn
Concerto Copenhagen
For over thirty years, Concerto Copenhagen has embarked on a journey of discovery, exploring music from the Baroque, Viennese Classical, and Early Romantic periods with historical awareness and unwavering commitment. Today, Concerto Copenhagen stands as a leading light in its field, both nationally and internationally. Under the musical direction of Lars Ulrik Mortensen, Concerto Copenhagen combines a methodical approach to historical material with artistic originality and a continual evolution in performance style and delivery. This ensures that the music is brought to life in a process of dynamic renewal and remains relevant to contemporary audiences.
Since its inaugural concerts in 1991, Concerto Copenhagen has released multiple internationally acclaimed albums and participated in hundreds of concerts, opera productions, as well as soundtrack and video productions around the world. With a repertoire that combines more familiar European music with lesser-known works of Scandinavian origin and new music, the orchestra celebrated its 30-year anniversary in 2021 and was subsequently nominated for P2 Artist of the Year 2022.
Instrumentation:
Oboe
Bassoon
Horn
Percussion
Theorbo/Oud
Violin
Violin
Viola
Cello
Double bass
Soprano
Turkish Ney
Qanûn
Oud
Percussion