The Opera Circus

Baroque spectacle with music by Handel

For this vibrant and melancholic performance, OPERA2DAY is once again joining forces with The Bach Society. The Opera Circus is a tribute to the grandmaster of dramatic music, George Friedrich Händel, and the spectacle theater of his time. His works alternated between furious and deeply moving arias. With theatrical wizardry and rapid set changes, audiences were visually enchanted. By using these old theatrical techniques combined with contemporary circus elements, the magic of Baroque opera is brought back to life.

In the performance, we witness two gods locked in an age-old feud. In an apocalyptic landscape, they battle each other with unrelenting fire. Their struggle seems endless—until a traveling circus troupe unexpectedly stumbles upon them. From that moment on, everything changes. Open-hearted, playful, and full of trust, the young circus performers set the world in motion once more. Color returns, love blossoms, and a happy ending is within reach!

The production builds on previous successful collaborations between OPERA2DAY and the Bach Society, centered around Vivaldi and Bach. These performances toured sold-out venues and were embraced by both audiences and critics. The approach “could not be praised highly enough” (de Volkskrant on Vivaldi – Dangerous Liaisons) and resulted in “a full-blooded opera” (NRC on J.S. Bach – The Apocalypse). OPERA2DAY’s artistic director, Serge van Veggel, once again develops the concept and collaborates with circus director Aedín Walsh for the staging. Beloved arias from Händel’s operas, such as Alcina and Orlando, are interwoven with rarely heard excerpts from Teseo and Arminio. Musical director Hernán Schvartzman conducts the musicians of the Bach Society and the soloists, who promise both instrumental and vocal fireworks.