© Ethan Carey
At Neümunster Abbeye two Luxembourgish artists launched a new project fusing spoken word with beautiful musical arrangements.
OK, I have to admit something first and foremost: My Luxembourgish isn’t great. Thus, going into a Luxembourgish spoken word concert which fused soaring soprano vocals with moving piano and cello arrangements had me skeptical that I'd be totally left behind: but I should never have worried.
Liewen was one of those performances that speaks to you on a deeper level – you don’t need to catch every word to feel what it’s about. Although from what I did understand, this was beautifully written poetry delivered in a beautifully honest and vulnerable manner. It was full of heart from start to finish.
Nicool in this new formation doesn’t overdo anything – she just steps into the music completely, and that draws you in without her even trying. There was a real weight and intention behind the way she delivered each line, and it made the whole performance feel incredibly genuine.
A real highlight of the night was soprano Stephany Ortega, whose vocals were nothing short of stunning. Her voice soared through the space with such clarity and control that it added an entirely new emotional dimension to the performance.
The musicianship across the board was outstanding too. Musical Director of the group Luca Sales performed his arrangements on the piano with passion and precision, full of nuance and skill. The virtuosity of each musician on stage had me floored. It’s rare to see that level of technical skill matched with such emotional honesty.
By the end, I realised I didn’t need to understand every lyric to feel the story they were telling. The music, the performances, and the emotion behind it all came together to create something unique, moving, and truly memorable. Check them out if you get the chance!
