Wonder Cabinet To Premier ‘Bethlehem’ in France May 16-17

Originally titled ‘Christmas in Mourning’, ‘Bethlehem’ is a collaborative composition between Lawrence Sammour, the 86-year-old choirmaster of Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity, and Beirut-based electro-acoustic musicians Sary Moussa and Abed Kobeissy.

Commissioned for Christmas 2023 - at a time when the streets of Bethlehem (the birthplace of Jesus Christ) fell eerily silent as celebrations were canceled in response to the genocide in Gaza - this work provided a haunting, powerful voice for the region.

The collaboration is a rare and profound piece of music that bridges between the sacred hymns of the church and the experimental sonics of Moussa and Kobeissy, that results in a tragic exploration of centuries old tradition reimagined in light of enormous pain and suffering.

On the evening of May 16th, the echoes of one of the world’s most ancient cities will resonate in the heart of Montreuil. For the first time in France, the trio will be performing live at Le Bal Chavaux alongside bassist Makram Aboul Hosn, with a second show in Lyon for the Nuits Sonores Festival on May 17th.

The evening will begin at 8PM with an opening performance by Charbel Haber, a legendary figure in Lebanon’s alternative music scene since the late 1990s. Haber’s work is a masterclass in using sound to explore memory, decay, and the political landscapes of the Middle East, setting a somber and speculative tone for the main event.

Get your tickets through Tzkrti, DICE, or Bal Chavaux's tickets platform.