The story
Watch the trailer, read the synopsis or download the programme book (Dutch only)
13 Jan 2019 - 16 Mar 2019
de Volkskrant
Giornale della Musica
Groene Amsterdammer
Il Giornale della Musica
Marquise de Merteuil and Vicomte de Valmont play a dangerous game with love. The former lovers trump one another with sensual cruelties. They dare each other to seduce others. Their relationship is challenged when Valmont seems to fall for the charming but virtuous Présidente de Tourvel. In the vicious battle that follows all those involved are eventually ruined. A fatal love story as well as a portrait of an era in which a jaded élite collapses under its own intrigues.
The fierce emotions resonate in Vivaldi’s vocal and instrumental fireworks, performed by a sparkling international cast and the top musicians of the Bachvereniging. The work is combined with newly composed recitatives into a whole.
Watch the trailer, read the synopsis or download the programme book (Dutch only)
Programme book
Download the accompanying programme book.
Trailer
Trailer Vivaldi - Dangerous Liaisons
Synopsis
Early morning, January 17?? A Venetian palace. The opening feast of the carnival season has just ended. Marquise de Merteuil’s guests have left and she is the only one still dancing in the rooms of her palace. Merteuil orders Victoire, her matron and confidante, to serve breakfast, which brings a retinue of servants on the stage.
The Vicomte de Valmont, who was asleep in a corner of the ballroom, shows up at the breakfast table. Valmont is Merteuil’s best friend and former lover. Merteuil tells him that her most recent lover, the rich Gercourt, just ditched her for the young Cécile de Volanges. Merteuil is bent on revenge and wants Valmont to help her. She suggests that Valmont should deflower Cécile before she marries Gercourt. Valmont thinks it is not worth bothering because Cécile is so inexperienced. He is planning a far more interesting conquest: Madame Présidente de Tourvel, the beautiful but pious and virtuous wife of the president of the supreme court. Valmont intends to court her until she has yielded to his charms. He prefers to have Cécile conquered by her music teacher: Chevalier Danceny, who at the fencing club has confided to him to be in love with Cécile.
The next day. Merteuil’s music room. Cécile comes storming in. Upset she tells her mother intercepted a love letter to her from Danceny. Her mother then said she will be given in marriage to Gercourt. Subsequently Valmont pops in with Danceny, who has just been dismissed by Cécile’s mother from his music teaching job.
The two young sweethearts are moved by their encounter. Merteuil offers to have the music lessons at her home from now on.
When Cécile and Danceny have left, Merteuil makes it clear that she wants things to speed up. She challenges Valmont to seduce both Cécile and Tourvel as soon as possible. She demands written proof of the seduction of Tourval: a letter in which Tourvel declares her love to Valmont. In reward Merteuil will spend the night with him once again.
Tourvel’s garden. She is reading a love letter to her from Valmont. Then she sees Valmont, who treats his servant Azolan surprisingly nice after a mishap. In order to get a better view, she trips and thus betrays her presence. Valmont takes tender care of her. Tourvel utters her amazement at the way he treats her and his servant, which is very different from what is to be expected from his bad reputation. Valmont says he used to give in to casual pleasure, but that her good, virtuous example has led him to reform his ways. He then declares his love for her. Tourvel wants none of it and walks off in anger.
A few days later. A private room in Merteuil’s palace. She is writing a letter to Valmont to tell that Cécile’s mother has advised Tourvel to keep away from him. She hints that this should give him sufficient reason for prioritising the seduction of Cécile.
When Danceny arrives to give a music lesson he finds the room empty. He rehearses a song he has written for Cécile about a caged bird. Merteuil catches him singing. She says Cécile will not come and the love aria will not do anything for him. Merteuil will teach him how to seduce a woman: with a daring letter. She is going to dictate this letter to Danceny. Meanwhile she seduces him.
Danceny’s letter is delivered to Valmont. He takes it to young Cécile’s bedroom. Together they read it. Cécile gets impressed with both the words written by her beloved Danceny and the seductive Vicomte in her bed. Valmont understands that the letter was dictated by Merteuil. He suggests to reply together. When they begin to write a playful letter, Cécile starts to like this game and soon she takes the lead.
Valmont does not have the letter written by Cécile delivered to Danceny, but – slightly adapted by Azolan – to Tourvel. She reads it as one of the many love letters she received from Valmont during the past weeks. We see how Tourvel, married and virtuous, is struggling with Valmont’s affectionate words and persistent adoration. She is not familiar with such kind of love in her arranged marriage. Tourvel tries to avoid Valmont, but does not succeed. She hopes he will settle for her friendship. Valmont refuses. When he asks her to say out loud she does not love him, she cannot. She begs him to leave her alone and cries for redemption.
Valmont has discovered that Tourvel, who has been avoiding him for more than a month and refuses his letters, goes to confession in the Gesuati church each week. Valmont sees an opportunity to meet her there. Frustrated by the slow progress of his amorous project he vents his emotions with physical violence on Azolan and other servants. Thus he exceeds the bounds of the maltreatment and humiliation his servants are willing to put up with. Some of them turn their back on Valmont and their serfdom.
Valmont writes a letter to Merteuil interpreting Tourvel’s evasion as a sign of his near victory. He will win her in the church that day. He thanks Merteuil for introducing him to Cécile, who gives him some pleasure in his melancholy. As yet Cécile does not know she is pregnant with Valmont’s child. Thus Valmont fulfils the first part of his promises to Merteuil.
Tourvel enters the church. In her prayer she confesses that her heart belongs to someone other than her husband. Valmont approaches and says he has come to say goodbye. Tourvel holds on to him. Merteuil, who went to the church immediately after receiving Valmont’s letter, sees all this from behind a pillar. When Valmont spots her, he frees himself of Tourvel. She declares her love for him, but he leaves her dangling. First, she has to write a letter to him confirming her love.
Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Merteuil’s palace is deserted. After recent lower-class uprisings in the city most servants have left. The few servants that have remained loyal are trying to keep up the appearances of a luxury palace life.
Merteuil is reading a letter from Valmont in which he describes his ‘total win’ of Tourvel. He announces to come over with the promised written declaration of love to claim his reward from her.
On his arrival Merteuil tells Valmont that he did not conquer Tourvel, but that Tourval has conquered him, which is quite different. Valmont is the laughing-stock in their circles these days. Merteuil has no intention of rewarding him for this. She asks for another sacrifice. He has to break up with Tourvel. He is allowed to say it is not his fault, but the request of another woman. This is the only way in which he can earn his reward and restore his reputation.
Upset Valmont rushes away, ignoring Cécile who has just arrived for one of Danceny’s music lessons. She finds him in Merteuil’s private rooms, asleep. She realises that Danceny and Merteuil have deceived her. It is more than she can take. The shock causes her to start bleeding. Merteuil coldly observes she has lost Valmont’s child. Furiously, Danceny goes after Valmont.
Left alone Merteuil realises the carnival has truly ended. She will organise a final ball, which all characters of the play will attend. She makes Victoire, her only servant left, write the invitations.
Valmont returns and announces he has broken up with Tourvel. Merteuil, however, tells him it does not matter anymore. It is obvious he still loves Tourvel and has chosen his vanity and reputation over true love. Desperately, Valmont leaves, knowing he has lost everything of value now.
While Merteuil prepares herself for the ball we see Cécile retreating into a convent. Tourvel is already there. She became insane. Restrained in a straitjacket she thinks she sees Valmont everywhere.
Danceny has challenged Valmont to a duel. Valmont offers no resistance and is stabbed to death.
When Merteuil is fully dressed for her final ball she gives Victoire permission to leave the palace and join the rebellious population which is sacking the town and driving the elite from their palaces.
Alone in her palace Merteuil opens the ball.
Cast & crew
Music Antonio Vivaldi and Vanni Moretto
Libretto Stefano Simone Pintor and Serge van Veggel
Concept, theatrical and musical scenario Serge van Veggel
Dramaturgy Karim Ameur
Musical direction Hernán Schvartzman
Stage direction Serge van Veggel
Project development Alice Gubler
Artistic Leader Nederlandse Bachvereniging Shunske Sato
Scenography Herbert Janse
Lighting Marc Heinz
Sound Design Arne Bock
Technical production Ronald Tebra
Costumes Mirjam Pater
Hair and make up Nienke Algra
Singers
Marquise de Merteuil Candida Guida / Sophia Patsi
Vicomte Valmont Yosemeh Adjei
Présidente de Tourvel Barbara Kozelj / Ingeborg Bröcheler (13/2 & 21/2)
Chevalier Danceny Maayan Licht
Cécile Volanges Stefanie True / Emma Fekete (1/2 & 8/2)
Orchestra
Netherlands Bach Society
Actors
Victoire (Head of Merteuil’s household ) Emma Linssen
Azolan (Valet to Valmont / Abbot of monastry) Merijn de Jong
Lahaye (Butler to Merteuil / Male nurse) Fabian Smit
Serafia (Housemaid to Merteuil / Nun) Emma van Muiswinkel
Faubourg (Footman to Merteuil / Male nurse) Luciaan Groenier
and many others
Review summary
A selection of Vivaldi’s most beautiful opera music is combined with a new libretto based on Dangerous Liaisons, the famous epistolary novel from 1782. The result is “a perfect synthesis (Place de l’Opera)” and “the most convincing proof that Vivaldi’s opera music has been unjustly forgotten (Theaterkrant).” A new opera with existing music. In the Baroque era, they called it a pasticcio. Vivaldi was a master of the genre. “This combination of historicizing and innovative opera practice cannot be praised loudly enough… The masterminds of OPERA2DAY, led by Serge van Veggel, once again provide a fine example of out-of-the-box thinking (De Volkskrant).”
To weave the opera arias and scenes together, Vanni Moretto composed new music. He gave his own twist to Vivaldi’s style. “A delight for the senses. His brand-new recitative music crackles and sparks, sharpening the ears (Trouw).” “You can hear that he is also a Baroque conductor, and a good one at that. He mostly respects the rules of the Baroque but colors within those lines wildly with cinematic effects, modern harmonies, and stylistic references from Tata Mirando to Bernard Herrmann. And it works: the ear and heart accept the coherence, while at the same time, you feel that this new construct draws its brilliance from Vivaldi (NRC).”
A Baroque world slowly falls apart. Director Serge van Veggel presents this together with scenographer Herbert Janse, lighting designer Marc Heinz, technical producer Ronald Tebra, and Mirjam Pater and Nienke Algra (costumes and makeup).
“Inventive sets and well-thought-out character direction provided a pleasant visual experience, with touches of subtle humor here and there (Place de l’Opera).” “The base colors green and fuchsia dominate the visual palette and are refined for each main character (Trouw).” “The choreographed scene changes are as meticulously executed as the sets and costumes, featuring green liveries, opulent wigs, and boudoirs, with stage backdrops depicting cherubs flanked by lobsters and scorpions (De Volkskrant).”
The five singers of Vivaldi – Dangerous Liaisons receive high praise. In the opera, Marquise de Merteuil and Vicomte de Valmont challenge each other to seduce others. “The Italian alto Candida Guida portrays a cool, calculating Merteuil, exactly as expected from her character (Place de l’Opera).” “An impressive Merteuil (De Volkskrant).” She is passionately countered by Yosemeh Adjei as Valmont, a “fine (NRC)” and “mellifluous (De Volkskrant)” countertenor.
The press also praises the singers in supporting roles. Barbara Kozelj makes a strong impression as the virtuous Présidente de Tourvel, who is cunningly ensnared and ultimately brought down by Valmont. “She acts with brooding restraint, sings magnificently (NRC).” “She gave a stunning performance (Place de l’Opera).” “Her deep and powerfully expressive voice lingers in the ear for a long time (Trouw).”
The first victims of Merteuil and Valmont are music teacher Chevalier Danceny and his beloved Cécile de Volanges. Danceny is portrayed by Maayan Licht – “he dazzled with his coloratura (Theaterkrant).” “Stefanie True convinces as the equally naive Cécile de Volanges (De Volkskrant).” In their “brilliant duets (De Volkskrant),” they emerge as “vocal artists (Trouw).”
In Vivaldi – Dangerous Liaisons, OPERA2DAY collaborates with the Netherlands Bach Society for the first time. The instrumentalists of the renowned ensemble fully live up to their reputation.
“In energy, elasticity, and swift transitions, the Bach Society proves to be a flexible top ensemble (NRC).” “The Vivaldian aspects of the orchestral accompaniment shine in their full radiance and brilliance, including mandolins and chalumeaus (De Volkskrant).”
“The ensemble plays attentively under Hernán Schvartzman and dares to take risks, which strongly enhances the sensation of a fresh production (Trouw).” “The entire performance is delivered with great energy by the Netherlands Bach Society under the direction of Hernán Schvartzman. Under his musical leadership, a passionate, thoroughly Italian Vivaldi was heard (Theaterkrant).”
Watch Wherever You Like
Stream and download
Didn’t get a chance to see the performance? A recording of Vivaldi – Dangerous Liaisons is available for purchase. For €10, you can stream the opera anytime to your TV, computer, tablet, or phone. Downloading is also possible. The recording is available for purchase on Vimeo.
Duration of the performance
2 hours and 30 minutes with one break included
Coach baroque acting
Jed Wentz has worked as a flutist, conductor and teacher within the discipline of Early Music since 1986. With his ensemble Musica ad Rhenum he recorded more than 30 CDs and toured three continents. He is assistant professor at the Academy of Creative and Performing Arts at Leiden University and teaches rhetoric at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. His current research revolves around the relationship between music and acting, 1680-1930. He has published articles in Cambridge Opera Journal, Journal of the Riemenschneider Bach Institute and European Drama and Performance Studies. He recently contributed an essay to Early Music in the 21st Century, published by Oxford University Press. He regularly performs as actor and reciter with the early music ensemble Postscript, and has created a number of scores to accompany silent film. He is also artistic advisor to the Utrecht Early Music Festival in The Netherlands.
Countertenor
Oscar Verhaar began his career as a boy soprano and earned his master’s degree in Early Music at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, where he studied with Michael Chance, Jill Feldman, Lenie van den Heuvel, and Peter Kooij. He also studied musicology in Utrecht and Vienna, and participated in masterclasses with teachers such as Ian Bostridge, Carlos Mena, and Kees Boeke. He was selected for the Academy of Jordi Savall’s Fundacío CIMA, was a laureate of the Fondation Royaumont, and a Young Bach Fellow of the Netherlands Bach Society.
Oscar specialises in medieval and baroque music, but he also regularly performs contemporary music, such as the world premiere of the opera Humanoid, composed by Leonard Evers. In working with early music, Oscar delves into old manuscripts and books for background and inspiration. This research opens up new avenues for unfamiliar repertoire that can also provide new insights into familiar pieces.
In 2024, Oscar and orchestra La Sfera Armoniosa recorded a CD for label Challenge Classics featuring arias about freedom by G.F. Handel. In 2025-2026, Oscar will be heard in the opera Queen Mary, based on music by Henry Purcell.
Countertenor
British countertenor James Hall is recognised for the combination of technical security, interpretive depth, and dramatic authority he brings to repertoire ranging from baroque to contemporary opera. He appears widely in opera, concert, and new music contexts across the UK and Europe.
James has originated roles in new works by David Bruce (Nothing, Glyndebourne), Laurence Osborn (The Mother), and Rolf Hind (Sky in a Small Cage), and created the role of Strumpet Ginger in Masque of Might, Opera North’s devised Purcell eco-opera. His operatic work has taken him to major houses and festivals including Glyndebourne, Bayerische Staatsoper, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe, Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Venice Biennale, and Broadway, where he appeared as Farinelli in Claire Van Kampen’s Farinelli and the King alongside Mark Rylance.
On the concert platform, Hall has collaborated with ensembles including The Monteverdi Choir, Collegium Vocale Gent, The English Concert, Concerto Copenhagen, the Dunedin Consort, Irish Baroque Orchestra, Early Opera Company, and Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien, performing at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, the Concertgebouw, the Barbican, the Palace of Versailles, and the Wiener Konzerthaus.
His debut recording Elegy, made with fellow countertenor Iestyn Davies, was nominated for a Gramophone Award. He has recorded for Hyperion, Phi, and Vivat.
Operatic performances in 2025-2026 include Joachim in Handel’s Susanna for Opera North, Ivan Vane in the world premiere of Elena Langer’s To Die For: A Comedy with Nederlandse Reisopera, Hercules in Handel’s The Choice of Hercules for the London Handel Festival, and Cake and Berghahn in Jonathan Dove’s Itchalongside the Cheshire Cat in Will Todd’s Alice in Wonderland for Opera Holland Park.
Circusartist
Saana Tolonen is a circus artist from northern Finland, currently based in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Working primarily with aerial hoop, she explores the edges of aerials, acrobatics, and contemporary circus, constantly seeking new physical and expressive possibilities. Her work is influenced by movement and theatre, and she finds inspiration in collaboration and interdisciplinary exchange.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from the Circus School at Turku University of Applied Sciences (2017) and is a graduate of Codarts University of the Arts (2020). Saana has worked with different directors and creators, including Daniel Gulko, Francesco Sgró, Lennie Visser, Cécile Da Costa, Lotte Mueller and Julía Campistany.
In addition to performing, Saana develops her own circus projects, such as a video-circus performance created for the OIJOIJOI! Festival in Tampere, Finland. She is also part of the Sisko collective, a collaboration between three sisters working across artistic disciplines.
Circus artist
Alejandro García Bustos is a circus artist born in Mexico City, Mexico, in 1999.
In 2018 he crossed the ocean to start his studies at the preparatory circus school Carampa in Madrid and later in 2020 at Codarts Circus Arts in Rotterdam. Shortly after his graduation in 2024 he joined the Belgian company Circumstances for their show Exit which he toured for two seasons.
Alejandro considers himself an all-round acrobat with a special love for teeterboard and trampoline, and he is overall just a “funny lad”.
Soprano
Lilian Tong is a soprano from Hong Kong, currently based in Rotterdam. She obtained her Master’s degree in Vocal Performance from Codarts Rotterdam Conservatory in 2018. Since completing her studies, she has established herself as an active performer across Europe, particularly in The Netherlands.
Her operatic highlights include Musetta in La Bohème at the Shaw Theatre in London, Serpina in Pergolesi’s La Serva Padrona with Hollands Diep Zomer Opera, and Despina in Così fan tutte with Codarts Opera Lab. She has also appeared in the world premiere of Seconds of Fear at the Dutch National Opera and performed at Operadagen Rotterdam.
Beyond opera, Lilian is an active and versatile concert soloist. She has appeared as soprano soloist in major works such as Messiah, Johannes-Passion, Matthäus-Passion, Weihnachtsoratorium, The Armed Man, and Rutter’s Requiem. She made her Concertgebouw debut in 2023 and was a finalist in the Corsica Lirica International Competition. In the same year she won First Prize at the Aphrodite Voice Competition.
Soprano
Ruoran Ma is a Chinese soprano currently pursuing her Master’s in Classical Voice at Codarts Conservatory in Rotterdam, studying with Professor Marcel Reijans. An acclaimed young artist, Ruoran has been awarded fourth prize and supraleitung method prize at the 3rd Basel International Vocal Competition. She has also been a semi-finalist at the Renata Tebaldi International Vocal Competition (2025).
Her recent engagements include solo performances in Mozart’s Requiem under Richard Egarr in Rotterdam, the role of Flaminia in Haydn’s Il mondo della luna at Codarts Conservatory, and participation in the Dutch National Opera’s Baroque Young Voice project, performing in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. She was selected for the Young Artist Project of the Openfest Prague and will perform in July 2026.
Ruoran has performed at notable venues such as the Beijing Concert Hall, Tokyo Opera City, and the China National Centre for the Performing Arts, and continues to build an international career in both concert and operatic repertoire.
Artistic Research
Belgian Femke Luyckx works as a dancer, aerial acrobat, choreographer, stunt coach, and assistant director. She has her own dance company, Compagnie KAIROS.
As a stunt coach, Femke has worked on projects including Stranger Things, Eurovision, 14, and Jesus Christ Superstar. She has collaborated with directors such as David Alden, Pierre Audi, Lotte de Beer, Simon McBurney, Robert Carsen, Romeo Castellucci, and Ivo van Hove, and choreographers such as Amir Hosseinpour, Jonathan Lunn, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, and Philip Giraudeaux. She has assisted at Dutch National Opera & Ballet, Opera Ballet Flanders, and the Netherlands Chamber Choir, among others.
Femke studied Classical Ballet at the Royal Ballet School of Antwerp and Contemporary Dance at Fontys School of Fine and Performing Arts in Tilburg and obtained her master’s degree in Choreography at Codarts and Fontys in 2023.
Femke has been working on OPERA2DAY productions since 2015, including La Révolution de Carmen, J.S. Bach – The Apocalypse, Song of the Dark Forest and Don Quichot.
Director
Aedín is a director, acrobat, musician, dancer and actor. Born in 1982 in Ireland, she has lived in a diverse range of countries and continents, becoming polyglot by accident in an effort to understand and hear the voices of others. Aedín is a staunch believer in the necessity of art and artists as catharsis and reflection of the world. Whether working for Clowns Without Borders in war-torn locations, or with large circus/dance companies, Aedín does not believe in the irrelevance or frivolity of creation, and she embraces the deliverance present in diverse forms of humour and absurdity.
Performing throughout childhood in musicals and ballets in her then local city of Harare, Zimbabwe, she returned to Ireland at the age of 10.
Between 2000-2015 her studies comprised Architecture (ECA, Edinburgh), Contemporary Dance Performance (The Space, SSCD, Scotland), Dance Theatre (Trinity-Laban) culminating in an MA in New Performative Practices specialising in Circus (SKH Sweden). From 2005 her professional life as a performer began, and from 2007 she worked as a choreographer.
Based in France with her young family since 2022, her professional work becomes more and more an interweaving and reimagining of the world, as a Mother, rendering the invisible visible, necessary, inspiring, and returning to the poetry writing of her youth.
Integral to her work onstage and off is the inclusion of consent-based practices and communication.
Circusartist
Mira Leonard graduated from Stockholm University of the Arts in 2014 and has since then worked for different circus companies, big and small, in theatres, circus tents, street corners, living rooms and parks in America, China and across Europe.
Mira was part of the Nordic artist collective ENT making various site-specific performances intertwining circus and folk music in forests and trees. Before that she was in a duo for 20 years with Esmeralda Nikolajeff focusing on the disciplines of duotrapeze and icarian games.
Lately Mira has been enjoying high heights in harnesses, practicing hair suspension and walking on crushed glass. This is the first time Mira has worked with opera.
Circusartist
Luise Hoffmann is a multiskilled circus artist from Germany. She graduated from Codarts University of the Arts in Rotterdam, where she collaborated with various directors and developed her own artistic voice. Through contemporary circus, her work explores expectations, perception and personal boundaries.
Since graduating, Luise has focused on both solo creations and group acrobatics. Her solo piece, WHAT I THINK, THEY THINK, has been performed internationally and was nominated for the BNG Circus Prize. Alongside her solo work, Luise has collaborated with institutions and collectives such as Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, Klaus! Kollektiv (Berlin) and INO Kollektiv.
Circusartist
Jean-Charles Gaume is a tight-wire dancer, hand to hand base, circus author, and circus co-director of his own company, INHERENCE. He graduated from ENACR and CNAC in France in 2008. His artistic approach is multidisciplinary and multiskilled, and he has consistently blended circus, dance, and theatre throughout his career.
Jean-Charles has created a wide range of circus works, including Le Parcours du Combattant (2010), J’aurais Voulu with Sandrine Juglair (2014), Here & Now (2017), and Radius et Cubitus, les Amants de Pompéi (2021, Beaumarchais Laureate). In 2026, he will premiere a new solo piece entitled FRAME, I’m Gonna Live Forever.
His multidisciplinary approach has led him to collaborate with numerous theatre directors, circus directors, and choreographers as both a performer and an author. He performed in La disparition du slow with the Yvan Mosjoukine Collective, Diktat by Sandrine Juglair, Le Corps au-delà des Frontières by Salia Sanou, L’Oublié(e) by Raphaëlle Boitel, VerSant by Underclouds, and projects of le Théâtre du Mouvement (Mime). In 2024, he directed In Sity, Partir, rester un peu for Compagnie CirkVOST in collaboration with Karine Noël.
Jean-Charles has also collaborated across other artistic fields, including cinema (The Sound of Time by Wim Wenders and Chocolat by Roschdy Zem), jazz music (videoclip Today of Anne Pacéo), contemporary music (Françoise Toullec), and comedy (Virginie Hocq).
In 2013, Jean-Charles graduated in Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy from the KARUNA Institute in the UK.
Circusartist
Joe Baker is a talented circus artist with a passion for pushing the boundaries of performance. After studying at Codarts, he honed his skills in aerials and acrobatics.
Joe’s experience includes performing with renowned dance company Scapino Ballet where he explored the fusion of acrobatics and choreography in live performances. With a flair for captivating audiences, Joe brings creativity, and precision to every performance, constantly seeking new ways to challenge himself and elevate the circus field. Music plays a vital role in his performances, where rhythm and sound are as important as movement. Joe composes his own music for his personal works, creating an all-encompassing and unique experience.
Soprano
French coloratura soprano Maud Bessard-Morandas, initially trained as a dancer and actress, performs a wide-ranging repertoire, spanning Renaissance music to contemporary creation, including opera, operetta, oratorio, and art song. She is a prizewinner at numerous international competitions (Gordes, L. Bellan, Arles, G. Enesco, Lugano, Cesti, Froville, Clermont) as well as the Royaumont, Leenaards, and Sigg Foundations. She appears regularly as a soloist at major European festivals (Saint-Denis, Royaumont, Ambronay, Saintes, and La Côte-Saint-André) and opera houses (Wrocław in Poland, Brașov in Romania, Geneva, Versailles, Dijon, and Clermont-Ferrand).
Maud frequently collaborates with leading early music ensembles such as Cappella Mediterranea, Amarillis, Pulcinella, Procris, O Tempora, and Les Argonautes.
In the 2025–2026 season, she will premiere a production for young audiences at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, perform Acis and Galatea at the Ambronay Festival, tour the Netherlands in The Opera Circus with OPERA2DAY and the Netherlands Bach Society, and record a solo album with Ensemble O Tempora.
Maud holds three Master’s degrees from the CNSMD de Lyon and the Haute École de Musique de Genève(voice, pedagogy, and conducting), as well as a Bachelor’s degree in musicology.
Countertenor
British countertenor James Hall is recognised for the combination of technical security, interpretive depth, and dramatic authority he brings to repertoire ranging from baroque to contemporary opera. He appears widely in opera, concert, and new music contexts across the UK and Europe.
James has originated roles in new works by David Bruce (Nothing, Glyndebourne), Laurence Osborn (The Mother), and Rolf Hind (Sky in a Small Cage), and created the role of Strumpet Ginger in Masque of Might, Opera North’s devised Purcell eco-opera. His operatic work has taken him to major houses and festivals including Glyndebourne, Bayerische Staatsoper, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe, Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Venice Biennale, and Broadway, where he appeared as Farinelli in Claire Van Kampen’s Farinelli and the King alongside Mark Rylance.
On the concert platform, Hall has collaborated with ensembles including The Monteverdi Choir, Collegium Vocale Gent, The English Concert, Concerto Copenhagen, the Dunedin Consort, Irish Baroque Orchestra, Early Opera Company, and Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien, performing at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, the Concertgebouw, the Barbican, the Palace of Versailles, and the Wiener Konzerthaus.
His debut recording Elegy, made with fellow countertenor Iestyn Davies, was nominated for a Gramophone Award. He has recorded for Hyperion, Phi, and Vivat.
Operatic performances in 2025-2026 include Joachim in Handel’s Susanna for Opera North, Ivan Vane in the world premiere of Elena Langer’s To Die For: A Comedy with Nederlandse Reisopera, Hercules in Handel’s The Choice of Hercules for the London Handel Festival, and Cake and Berghahn in Jonathan Dove’s Itchalongside the Cheshire Cat in Will Todd’s Alice in Wonderland for Opera Holland Park.
Soprano
Maria Schellenberg is a Russian mezzo-soprano celebrated for her dark vocal colour, dramatic authority, and psychologically intense performances. She has appeared at the Royal Opera House, Opera de Tenerife, Dorset Opera Festival and the Linbury Theatre, and with orchestras including the Danish National Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Noted for her exceptional reliability under pressure, she received critical acclaim for a last-minute appearance as Megacle in Vivaldi’s L’Olimpiade at the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre in 2024. Her repertoire includes Dalila, Ulrica, Maddalena, Zia Principessa, Margared (Le Rois d’Ys) and Isabella (L’italiana in Algeri).
Maria studied piano and harpsichord in addition to vocal performance. She is a graduate from the Royal College of Music and an alumna of the Samling Academy and Opera Tenerife Young Artists Programme.
International Partnerships
Hai & Make-up design
Hair and Make-up Designer Nienke Algra completed her training in TV, film, and theater make-up in London in 1986. She began her career at Atelier Didden and was associated for fifteen years with the Paardenkathedraal, working on productions with Dirk Tanghe, as well as freelancing for theater companies including Orkater and Jakop Ahlbom.
For OPERA2DAY, she has previously been responsible for hair and make-up on Mariken in de Tuin der Lusten, Dr. Miracle’s Last Illusion, Hamlet, Opera Melancholica, Vivaldi – Dangerous Liaisons, and Don Quichot.
Costume design
Costume Designer Mirjam Pater is fascinated by clothing. She studied at the Amsterdam Fashion Academy, founded her own costume studio, and has worked as an independent designer since 1990. From 1992 to 2008, she was the resident designer for Dirk Tanghe. She has also created designs for many leading theater companies, including Het Nationale Toneel, Het Internationaal Danstheater, and Orkater.
For Stage Entertainment, she designed costumes for Cabaret, a large-scale musical at Carré. Her opera designs include Orfeo for Holland Opera, Lucia di Lammermoor and Don Pasquale for De Nederlandse Reisopera, Norma at the Grote Markt in Groningen, Rheingold on a Rhine barge, and Ipermestra, an anniversary production for Festival Oude Muziek. Since its founding, she has designed almost all productions for OPERA2DAY.
Sound design
Sound Engineer Arne Bock is a renowned audio professional specializing in live sound, recording, mixing, and mastering. With a strong foundation in jazz as well as classical and contemporary music, Arne has become one of the most sought-after audio engineers. His expertise spans a wide range of formats and genres, from orchestral and opera productions to immersive audio installations and large-scale tours.
Arne’s impressive career includes close collaborations with acclaimed composers, conductors, ensembles, and artist management, such as Steve Reich, Joe Hisaishi (Studio Ghibli), CAMI Music, and Columbia Artists Management. His recording and production work has been released on prestigious labels including BIS Records, SteepleChase, and Sony Music, earning awards such as the Swedish Grammis and the French Diapason d’Or. As a sound designer and technical director, Arne has brought his expertise to performances in major concert halls and stadiums worldwide.
He frequently contributes his experience to opera productions. Recent projects include work for OPERA2DAY and the highly praised sound design for Monteverdi’s Maria Vespers, performed by the Pygmalion Ensemble under Raphael Pichon and directed by Pierre Audi in the iconic Gasholders in Amsterdam. He was also the lead sound engineer for the groundbreaking production Aus Licht in Amsterdam (2019), mixing monumental works by Karlheinz Stockhausen.
As an educator, Arne has taught and led masterclasses at institutions such as the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and the University of Lethbridge. He regularly mentors interns and young professionals through various technical training programs. He holds a bachelor’s degree in jazz trumpet and both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in sound engineering, all from the Royal Conservatory in The Hague.
Lighting design
Lighting Designer Uri Rapaport has been professionally active in theater since 1977. He has created numerous designs both in the Netherlands and abroad for a wide variety of companies, producers, and museums, including Het Nationale Toneel, Toneelgroep Maastricht, De Nederlandse Reisopera, Opera Zuid, De Nationale Opera, Opera Genève, Opera Budapest, Ruhrtriennale, Wiener Festwochen, De Doelen, Gergiev Festival, Holland Festival, and Festival Oude Muziek Utrecht, as well as for Joop van den Ende, De Parade, Oerol, and Het Nut.
Between 1996 and 2008, he was a member of the artistic team at the Paardenkathedraal and designed all productions for Dirk Tanghe. Recent theater designs include Pauperparadijs, Trojan Wars, Willem II, Erik of het klein insektenboek, De Verleiders, and several major musicals such as Nummer 14, Dagboek van een Herdershond, Zondag in het zuiden, and Het geluk van Limburg. He also performed in his own production, LICHT. Since 2012, he has been responsible for the lighting design of a wide range of OPERA2DAY productions.
Scenography
Set Designer Herbert Janse studied scenography at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam and the Jan van Eyck Academy in Maastricht.
Since 1985, Herbert Janse has designed sets for productions including De Avonden (Het Vervolg), Houdini (Orkater), De methode Ribadier (Het Nationale Toneel), Cloaca (Het Toneel Speelt), Rigoletto (Hong Kong Opera Company), Hamlet, Hedda Gabler (De Theatercompagnie), Il barbiere di Siviglia, Le nozze di Figaro, La fille du régiment (Opera Zuid), Ex, Carnage (Suburbia), Schrijf me in het zand, Hamlet (Studio Antigone), and Song of the Dark Forest (a co-production by OPERA2DAY and Scapino Rotterdam).
Since 2006, he has also been teaching at the Amsterdam Theatre School and served as curator for the Dutch entries at the Prague Quadrennial in 2007 and 2011. Since 2012, he has been responsible for the scenography of most OPERA2DAY productions.
Dramaturgy
Dramaturg Tiara Kobald was originally trained as a violinist at the Fontys Conservatory in Tilburg. She studied violin with Chris Duindam, baroque violin with Franc Polman, and orchestral conducting with Arjan Tien and Etienne Siebens. She works as a freelance violinist with various orchestras and ensembles, including the Ars Musica Orchestra.
After completing her musical training, she studied English and Theatre, Film and Literary Studies at the University of Antwerp. She completed two directing internships at the Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam and an internship in dramaturgy at Opera Vlaanderen in Antwerp.
For the past year, Tiara Kobald has been a resident dramaturg with OPERA2DAY
Communication & Content Officer
Chef de Bureau
Coordination Participation & Education
Project management & Casting
Head of Marketing
Business director
Musical director
Argentinean-Dutch conductor Hernán Schvartzman is an award-winning and versatile artist who feels as equally at home conducting top historically informed ensembles, cutting edge contemporary music groups as well as leading international big scale opera productions and symphonic concerts.
He has conducted ensembles such as the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Vox Luminis, Asko|Schönberg, Netherlands Bach Society, Het Gelders Orkest, Orquesta del Teatro Argentino de La Plata, Orchestra of the Early Music department of the Royal Conservatoire, New European Ensemble, Netherlands Chamber Choir, Dutch Radio Choir, Cappella Amsterdam, and B’Rock Orchestra.
Hernán is the musical leader of Netherlands-based opera company OPERA2DAY and works as guest conductor for other companies such as Juventus Lyrica, Muziektheater Transparant, Nederlandse Reisopera, Operadagen Rotterdam, Teatro Argentino de La Plata, Dutch National Opera Studio and the Monteverdi Festival de Cremona. A selection of his operatic repertoire includes: Mozart-Da Ponte trilogy, Die Zauberflöte(Argentinean Opera of the Year 2013), Cherubini’s Médee, Charpentier’s La Troupe d’Orphée (Dutch Opera of the Year 2014), the world premiere of Calliope Tsoupaki ’s Mariken in the garden of delights, J.S. Bach – The Apocalypse (Bach-Iliopoulos) (2024), Don Quichot (Vanni Moretto, 2023), Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, Rossini’s Le Comte Ory and Ambroise Thomas’ Hamlet (nominated for the VSCD ovation price 2018).
He graduated Cum Laude from the Masters in Orchestral Conducting and Early Music opera conducting at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague. His teachers were Jac van Steen, Kenneth Montgomery, Jos van Veldhoven, Ton Koopman and Reinbert de Leeuw. Hernán was part of the selection committee for the “Composers Showcase” organised by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (BBC NOW) where he recorded the award-winning chamber music pieces with the wind soloists of the BBC NOW. Hernán teaches Ensemble Leading at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague and held the position of main classical music advisor of the Argentinean Ministry of Culture for the opening of the Centro Cultural Kirchner, where he also gave masterclasses to Argentinean conductors, along with the Argentinean National Youth Orchestra.
Hernán Schvartzman was recipient of the prestigious Huygens Scholarship, awarded by the Dutch Government, and has also been selected as a “Musical Top Talent”, “Creative Top Talent” and “Cultural Ambassador of the City” by the municipality of The Hague.
He was nominated as Best Argentinean Conductor of the Year 2014 by the Argentinean Association of Musical Reviewers.
General Director / Artistic Director
Serge van Veggel is one of the founders of OPERA2DAY. Over the years, he has developed a highly diverse range of productions there as artistic director, writer, and director. Often, he opts for a conceptual approach, creating new works from existing repertoire. This was the case, for example, with La troupe d’Orphée, featuring Charpentier’s repertoire, Dolhuys Kermis with baroque lamenti, Dr. Miracle’s last illusion with romantic repertoire, and the ‘new baroque opera’ Vivaldi – Dangerous Liaisons. Additionally, he directed productions from the repertoire such as The Fairy Queen (Purcell), La Giuditta (Alessandro Scarlatti), Médée (Cherubini), Hamlet (Thomas), Carmina Burana (Orff), and The Fall of the House of Usher by Philip Glass (as part of the Opera Melancholica production). He crafted the libretto and directed the new opera Mariken in de tuin der lusten, with music by Calliope Tsoupaki. Filmmaker Sonia Herman Dolz documented the creative process in the film Mariken, visioen van een opera. Furthermore, he has created music-theatre productions and staged recitals both within and outside OPERA2DAY. In 2023, he collaborated with three choreographers to develop Song of the Dark Forest for Scapino Ballet Rotterdam.
Anne Marie Stordiau has a background spanning government, diplomacy and the cultural sector. She served as Director of Communications and spokesperson to the Minister of Justice and Security, after which she worked as a diplomat at the Dutch Embassy in London. She initially studied viola at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, followed by studies in Law and Public Administration at the Rijksuniversiteit Leiden. She has extensive experience in governance, including roles with orchestras, theatre companies, museums and the Fund for Cultural Participation. With a strategic background and a broad network, she is committed to fostering strong connections between culture and society. Anne Marie has a particular interest in opera as an art form that uniquely brings together music, theatre, visual arts and contemporary social and political themes.
Fatma Kaya (1969) is a connector pur sang and socially involved to the bone. She works as a relationship manager for the JOGG foundation, which stands for healthy youth and a healthy future, and works with municipalities throughout the Netherlands to achieve this. Fatma has always worked in the non-profit sector for trade unions, governments and educational institutions, among others. She was a member of the Supervisory Board of the Koninklijke Schouwburg for six years, was chairman of the Women at Work Foundation in The Hague and is a member of Rotary Club ‘s Gravenhage Kijkduin.
Guus Mostart initially studied medicine. With a scholarship from the then Ministry of C.R.M., he took a stage management course at the London Opera Centre after which he joined the Netherlands Opera Foundation under Hans de Roo. In 1977, he left for the Glyndebourne Festival where he rose from Staff Producer to Associate Director and Director of Production for the Glyndebourne Touring Opera. In the more than 40 years Guus has worked in the opera world, he has held various positions including Director of Artistic Affairs Dutch Opera, Artistic Director Vancouver Opera, Director of Artistic Administration & Dramaturgy English National Opera and Intendant of the National Touring Opera.
Michaël Nieuwenhuizen has over 40 years of experience in positions as director, advisor, policy officer, programme manager, lobbyist and supervisor. He is known in the arts and culture sector as an optimistic stayer who, in combination with a large network, has a broad agenda. Michaël combines substantive knowledge of music, visual arts, heritage and media with business and managerial experience. As a creative and strategic thinker, he is strong in setting out and profiling a new course and creating support.
George Oostrom is a former CEO of a multinational claims management company. He has worked in several countries and was responsible for the business activities in the Benelux and France. He is a member of NIVRE – the Dutch Institute of Registered Experts, of which he has been (vice) chairman for several years. As a board member, he is still associated with the foundation Calamities and Projects, a foundation affiliated with NIVRE.
In addition, George is a member of various boards related to the insurance sector, such as the Institute of Financial Crime, and he is active as an editorial board member of the Salvage Foundation of the combined fire insurers. George Oostrom has a great passion for opera and classical music.
