Dutch National Opera’s ambitious new adaptation of Animal Farm is part of their Opera Forward Festival, and runs from 3rd to 16th March in Amsterdam.
This photo gallery takes an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the production in progress – with stage designs by Paolo Fantin, costume designs by Klaus Bruns, and a day in the life of rehearsals with the cast and chorus. Click on the images to open a larger version in the carousel.
Our interview with stage director Damiano Michieletto, composer Alexander Raskatov, and librettist Ian Burton, is available to read here.
Set design by Paolo Fantin for Animal Farm opening scenes
© Paolo Fantin
Loading image...
Set design for rebellion scene
© Paolo Fantin
Loading image...
Set design for the farm’s butchery
© Paolo Fantin
Loading image...
Set design for ending scenes
© Paolo Fantin
Loading image...
Costume designs by Klaus Bruns for Napoleon and Old Major
© Klaus Bruns
Loading image...
Costume designs for Snowball and Squealer
© Klaus Bruns
Loading image...
Costume designs for Mollie and Muriel
© Klaus Bruns
Loading image...
Costume designs for Benjamin and Boxer
© Klaus Bruns
Loading image...
Costume designs for Clover and Minimus
© Klaus Bruns
Loading image...
Animal Farm cast rehearses inside battery cages
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Children’s chorus rehearses
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
The main cast mingles with the children’s chorus
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
The children’s chorus cradles smaller prop animals
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Gennady Bezzubenkov (Old Major) rehearses together with the chorus
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Gennady Bezzubenkov (Old Major)
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Director Damiano Michieletto works with the chorus
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Damiano Michieletto (stage director), Thomas Wilhelm (choreography), Bassem Akiki (musical director)
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Germán Olvera (Boxer) together with chorus and meat grinder
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Misha Kiria (Napoleon) faces the meat grinder
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Chorus rehearsing in battery cages
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Cast and chorus rehearsing in cages
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Damiano Michieletto (stage direction)
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Cast rehearses, headed up by Germán Olvera (Boxer)
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Maya Gour as Muriel
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Damiano Michiletto rehearses with the chorus
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Meat for the grinder
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Bassem Akiki (musical director) with Alexander Raskatov (composer) in the background
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Alexander Raskatov (composer)
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Thomas Wilhelm (choregraphy) in rehearsal
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Chorus headed up by Michael Gniffke (Snowball) and Misha Kiria (Napoleon)
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Taking a break
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Looking on
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Masked and in cages
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Holly Flack (Mollie) together with Thomas Wilhelm and Damiano Michieletto
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Looking on from within the chorus
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Damiano Michieletto rehearses with Gennady Bezzubenkov and chorus
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Bassem Akiki (musical director)
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Gennady Bezzubenkov (Old Major) rehearses together with the chorus
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Gennady Bezzubenkov (Old Major) rehearses together with the chorus
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Gennady Bezzubenkov (Old Major) with the meat grinder
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Germán Olvera (Boxer) with the meat grinder
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Inside the cage
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Breaking free of the cage
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Chorus in their masks
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Karl Laquit (Benjamin) together with cast
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Production team looks on
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Cast and chorus
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
James Kryshak (Squealer) and chorus
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
The entire company rehearses
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Cast and chorus rehearses
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Rushing to and fro
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Misha Kiria (Napoleon) leads the chorus
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Bassem Akiki (musical director) and Alexander Raskatov (composer)
© Milagro Elstak
Loading image...
Debriefing at the end of rehearsals
© Milagro Elstak
