Bob Wilson's cool minimalist Butterfly is back in Amsterdam

By Nicolas Nguyen, 25 April 2019

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“One could not have wished for a more beautiful-sounding Butterfly”

Reviewed at Dutch National Opera and Ballet, Amsterdam on 23 April 2019

Puccini, Madama Butterfly

Dutch National Opera

Jader Bignamini, Conductor

Robert Wilson, Director, Set Designer, Lighting Designer

Frida Parmeggiani, Costume Designer

Elena Stikhina, Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly)

Enkelejda Shkoza, Suzuki

Sergio Escobar, Pinkerton

Brian Mulligan, Sharpless

Saverio Fiore, Goro

Carlo Cigni, The Bonze

Tim Kuypers, Prince Yamadori

John van Halteren, The Imperial Commissioner

Anneleen Bijnen, Kate Pinkerton

Harry Teeuwen, Yakuside

Marieke Reuten, Cio-Cio-san's mother

Tomoko Makuuchi, The aunt

Dana Ilia, The cousin

Residentie Orkest The Hague

Chorus of Dutch National Opera

Weinberg’s The Passenger at Dutch National Opera

Clare Varney, 17th April

Tobias Kratzer's 2024 Munich production makes its way to Amsterdam, proving that Weinberg's opera has the power to transfix.

****1

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Mark Vicente, 26th March

Dutch National Ballet's new production of La Bayadère does away with the ballet’s problematic gestures and movements, allowing the choreography to truly shine.

****1

Michel van der Aa’s Theory of Flames: defining opera for a modern age

Clare Varney, 6th March

British singers Mary Bevan and Roderick Williams lead the cast in Dutch National Opera’s latest ground-breaking opera, merging live music with pre-recorded film and electronics.

****1

Dutch National Ballet brings much needed heat to this winter season

Mark Vicente, 10th February

The Dutch National Ballet helped shake off those winter blues with a mixed programme that highlighted ballet’s love affair with Latin rhythms and movement.

****1

Semele at Dutch National Opera: myth, desire and fantasy

Mengguang Huang, 23rd January

Guth’s Semele turns myth into a contemporary domestic drama, where desire becomes obsession and illusion consumes reality. Handel’s music remains the true engine, driven by a thrilling, physically intense ensemble.

****1

Dutch National Ballet's Program B is the A+ Program in New York

Ivy Lin, 21st November

Dutch National Ballet's second mixed bill at New York City Center ticked all the right boxes, showcasing the depth of talent across the whole company.

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Nicolas Nguyen

Nicolas is a French Amsterdammer, e-commerce professional and a bit of an opera buff. His experience in the area of music is that of a dilettante. His passion for the opera and vocal music comes from his love for both music and languages which are so perfectly combined in these art forms.