Serge Wolfsperger's 'L'enfant-soldat née Musique' Premieres at Les Zébrures Festival in Limoges

Serge Wolfsperger, a French-Algerian director, premiered his new play 'L'enfant-soldat née Musique' at Les Zébrures, a festival of French-language theatrical writing and creation in Limoges. The play, written by author and philosopher Zeina Kahn, tells the story of Soledad, a girl forcibly recruited by paramilitaries at age fourteen, who later uses her extraordinary hearing to compose music and reintegrate into society. Rwandan actress Nancy Nkusi performs the role through song, body, and dance. The production features an international cast of musicians: Serbian accordionist Natasa Grujovie, French sound creator Stéphan Ink, Malagasy actress and singer Dina Mialinelina, and Congolese actor and composer Denis Mpunga. All sounds in the play are made artisanally with ropes, wood, breath, and accordion, without electronic amplification. The narrative begins in a village at dawn, moves through urban sonic chaos, and culminates in a nascent opera. The text incorporates Lingala, Kikongo, Swahili, and French, and was written as a musical score with rhymes and verses. The play focuses on life after war, exploring how a former child soldier can be resurrected through music. The festival runs from September 23 to October 3, 2026. An estimated 300,000 child soldiers exist worldwide. The French premiere took place at Les Zébrures 2026 in Limoges.