From the simple act of biting into a juicy apple to the complexity of an orgasm: the pursuit of pleasure is something that concerns us all. The concept has various dimensions, including from a woman’s perspective. Traditionally, the female body was often an object for the pleasure of another. Fortunately, women today can express their own desires. How do contemporary women deal with the complexity of this experience?

Bittersweet fruit is a performance by the duo Sine Sole Sileo, formed by the Spanish recorder player and vocalist Irene Sorozábal Moreno and the Cretan harpsichordist Katerina Orfanoudaki, featuring musicians from the Concertgebouw Orchestra. Together, they explore the concept of pleasure through early Baroque music as well as their own compositions and improvisations.

In Brecht's The Roundheads and the Pointyheads In 1932, he described in detail how a society can slide into the abyss. Brecht had the play performed by actors with round and pointed heads. Hanns Eisler set it to music. In this theatrical concert, singer and actress Kikki Géron, together with the musicians, tells a socially engaged story.

Kikki Géron, programmer: ‘Back then, the Jews were the victims of far-right ideology. Even today, we’ve turned it into a game of finger-pointing. For example, it’s apparently convenient these days to talk about refugees as fortune-seekers. Unfortunately, Brecht’s story is still relevant today.’

As a young Dutch civil servant in the 1960s, Frank Hubatka saw the Papuans’ hopes for independence go up in smoke. His daughter, Merel Hubatka, wrote the novel Norman about this turbulent period in his life. The novel has now been adapted into an opera. 

The opera follows the storyline of the book, the life story of Norman Taborsky, Frank Hubatka’s fictional alter ego. In 1959, he traveled to the western half of the island of New Guinea. In his early twenties, Norman was appointed—in accordance with Dutch policy—to help the Papuans on their path to independence. Despite many promises, the Netherlands abandoned the Papuans, and Papua New Guinea was annexed by Indonesia. Papua Opera is a fact-based story about politics, hope, and disappointment, but above all about human resilience.

Jazz musician and composer Maarten Ornstein has delved into Papuan music and combines authentic melodies with jazz from the ’60s and ’70s and modern classical sounds. In addition to six classical, jazz, and pop singers, the cast also includes four Papuan singers—people living in exile in the Netherlands.

The cast consists of a combination of six classical, jazz, and pop singers, along with a choir of four Papuan singers—people living in exile in the Netherlands. In the leading roles, we see the young, up-and-coming Dutch singers Steven van der Linden, Yosina Roemajauw (2018 Voicekids winner), Channa Malkin, and Robinson Jouwe (the grandson of Nicolas Jouwe, who at the time was poised to become president of an independent Papua New Guinea).

The ensemble consists of nine musicians from the Concertgebouw Orchestra and is composed of two violins, a viola, a cello, a double bass, a trumpet, an Ondes Martenot synthesizer, and two percussionists. The musicians work directly with the singers.

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Many composers have drawn inspiration from the moon. In addition to the famous Moonlight Sonata In addition to Beethoven, the program also features the magnificent “Songs of Madagascar” by the famous French composer Maurice Ravel. Dramaturg Carel Alphenaar has selected the beautiful Dutch poems, which are recited by actor Abdelkarim el Baz.

With the Bijlmer Klassiek series, Michael Gieler brings world-class chamber music to Amsterdam-Zuidoost. Members of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra perform in an intimate setting and connect with artists who have their roots in the Bijlmer. In the auditorium of the Bijlmer Parktheater, great names like Beethoven and Schubert go hand in hand with upbeat songs from around the world. Bijlmer Klassiek is a joint project of Music Stages and the Bijlmer Parktheater.

The dramatic oratorio “Theodora” is a classic love story set against the backdrop of the persecution of Christians in ancient Rome. It powerfully tells the story of Theodora, a Christian, and Didymus, a Roman officer who converted to Christianity. The two lovers are persecuted and ultimately sentenced to death because of their faith. In the process, both attempt to sacrifice their own lives for the other.

Michael Gieler, artistic director of Music Stages: ‘This tragic oratorio, with its rich love story, is very much like an opera. The music is delightful. There are also plenty of contemporary references that allow us to give it a modern twist. We’re staging this monumental work at the IJ-Salons, with five young singers and an ensemble. This may make the story even more poignant.’

In 1933, the well-known German playwright Bertolt Brecht penned the satirical ballet The Seven Mortal Sins. Kurt Weill’s music is reminiscent of that of 1920s German cabaret. The story of two sisters, Anna I and Anna II, and their wanderings through seven American cities, is brought to life by a charismatic young narrator, Kikki Géron. This timeless masterpiece is framed by musical touches from the world of non-classical music.

Michael Gieler, artistic director of Music Stages: 'I find the story of the two sisters particularly fascinating. It’s rare that such a sad subject – the sisters are abused by their families – is conveyed so originally on a stage. The happy ending brings justified relief.’

The St. John Passion returns to the IJ-Salon after a three-year hiatus, this time with a completely new production. The IJ-Salon is organizing this program in collaboration with the International Bach Festival on Gran Canaria. In this way, young people will work side by side with the musicians of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. The IJ-Salon asked choreographer Peter Leung to create a new staging of Bach’s masterpiece.

The young singers of the National Youth Choir will undoubtedly throw themselves with enthusiasm into an unusual challenge: translating Bach’s expressive choral works into fluid movements. A fresh take on an old favorite.

We’re not going to let the best concert of 2020 slip through our fingers just like that. The concert on May 22, featuring a collaboration between Graziëlla Hunsel Rivero—“The First Lady of Jazz from Amsterdam-Zuidoost”—and the versatile pianist and composer Rembrandt Frerichs, will get a second chance on October 2. Fine jazz combined with classical music is a true musical experience.

Graziella Hunsel really needs no introduction. This charismatic singer has long since stolen the hearts of all jazz lovers—and certainly not just in the Bijlmer. All of her concerts are a celebration where musicians and the audience feel at home and welcome.
For this program, she and artistic director Michael Gieler put together a swinging program including some of the most beautiful jazz standards, ranging from George Gershwin to Ella Fitzgerald.