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The Opera Circus

OPERA2DAY | De Nederlandse Bachvereniging
Wed 4 Mar - Sat 7 Mar
Wed 4 Mar 2026
-
Sat 7 Mar 2026

For this vibrant and melancholic performance, OPERA2DAY is once again joining forces with the Netherlands Bach Society. The Opera Circus is a tribute to the grandmaster of dramatic music, George Frideric Handel, and the spectacle theatre of his time. His works alternated between furious and deeply moving arias. With theatrical wizardry and rapid set changes, audiences were visually enchanted. By using these old theatrical techniques combined with contemporary circus elements, the magic of Baroque opera is brought back to life.

In the performance, we witness two gods locked in an age-old feud. In an apocalyptic landscape, they battle each other with unrelenting fire. Their struggle seems endless — until a travelling circus troupe unexpectedly stumbles upon them. From that moment on, everything changes. Open-hearted, playful, and full of trust, the young circus performers set the world in motion once more. Colour returns, love blossoms, and a happy ending is within reach.

OPERA2DAY and the Netherlands Bach Society

The production builds on previous successful collaborations between OPERA2DAY and the Netherlands Bach Society, centred around Vivaldi and Bach. These performances toured sold-out venues and were embraced by both audiences and critics. The approach ‘could not be praised highly enough’ (de Volkskrant on Vivaldi – Dangerous Liaisons) and resulted in ‘a full-blooded opera’ (NRC on J.S. Bach – The Apocalypse).

OPERA2DAY’s artistic director, Serge van Veggel, once again develops the concept and collaborates with circus director Aedín Walsh for the staging. Beloved arias from Handel’s operas, such as Alcina and Orlando, are interwoven with rarely heard excerpts from Teseo and Armenia. Musical director Hernán Schvartzman conducts the musicians of the Netherland Bach Society and the soloists, who promise both instrumental and vocal fireworks.

In the video below, the opera is introduced by directors Serge van Veggel and Aedin Walsh, musical director Hernán Schvartzman and dramaturgy Tiara Kobald:

Good to know

The opera is sung in Italian, with Dutch and English surtitles.

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Extra's in de foyer

Vanaf 19:15 uur ben je van harte welkom in de foyer van de Koninklijke Schouwburg. Dan vertonen leerlingen van circusschool Circasso doorlopend hun kunsten en kun je alvast het programmaboek lezen. Ook exposeren scholieren van het Christelijk Lyceum Delft hun eigen miniatuurdecors, gemaakt op basis van het thema 'vertrouwen & wantrouwen’.

No Dutch Required

Welcome to all our internationals and Anglophiles! Our No Dutch Required selection lists performances that are either English spoken, have English surtitles or that are without spoken text altogether.

Successen in september

In de wintermaanden is het altijd extra gezellig om naar het theater te gaan. Maar misschien lukt het niet altijd om iemand te vinden die mee wil. Op deze pagina hebben we voorstellingen verzameld die…

Credits

muziek Georg Friedrich Händel | concept, scenario en muzieksamenstelling Serge van Veggel | libretto Stefano Simone Pintor & Serge van Veggel | muzikale leiding Hernán Schvartzman | regie Serge van Veggel & Aedín Walsh | artistiek onderzoek Femke Luyckx | dramaturgie Tiara Kobald | decorontwerp Herbert Janse | kostuumontwerp Mirjam Pater | lichtontwerp Uri Rapaport | geluidsontwerp Arne Bock | kap en grime ontwerp Nienke Algra

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