BarokOpera Amsterdam

In this fairytale opera, BarokOpera focuses on the fascination with other cultures, just as it was in Purcell’s time.
Conductor: Frédérique Chauvet

BarokOpera Amsterdam lifts the opera genre to the here and now with idiosyncratic performances, excellent soloists, an enchanting instrumental ensemble and beautiful costumes. This season the company brings Purcell’s opera The Fairy Queen, based on William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, to the stage: with Bollywood dance!

In this fairytale opera, BarokOpera focuses on the fascination with other cultures, just as it was in Purcell’s time. Bollywood dancers, five singers and eight instrumentalists play, sing and take you into witty or dramatic dialogues. Each act ends with a ballet: classical, popular, sensual or macho. Indian dance always bridges the gap between tradition, history and modernity: Bollywood dance is versatile in its expression, stimulates the imagination and forms an excellent guideline throughout the performance.

A magical opera with a magical story
The Fairy Queen once had a festive premiere: it was performed in 1692 at the 15th wedding anniversary of the royal couple William and Mary. In his opera, Purcell alternated beautiful arias with texts from Shakespeare’s comedy. The magical story still stands in this new version. Four lovers flee their parents and end up in a magical forest where King Oberon and Queen Titania rule. At that moment there is a heated argument between the two over the custody of an Indian boy. To conquer, Oberon orders the elf Puck to look for the magical flower whose sap has an enchanting effect: whoever gets it in his eyes falls in love with the first best creature he/she sees when he wakes up, human or animal.

Source : PLT Website