Operadagen Rotterdam continues as O.

Operadagen Rotterdam disappears after 15 years only to reappear as ‘O.’ Frequent visitors to Operadagen Rotterdam will recognize in O. a festival with an ongoing focus on adventure, talented makers, and crosslinks to numerous genres. O. stands for opera and opening up the genre.

From performances to electropop and from tear-jerkers to street culture. New audiences are in for many treats at a festival that wants to surprise the visitors! Operadagen Rotterdam has developed into an avant-garde popular festival in the past 15 years and it has built up a stellar international reputation. Yet, at this stage, the moniker no longer seems a good fit for its ambitious vision for the future.

From Monday 23 to Sunday 29 August, more than 65 performances can be seen at 25 locations in Rotterdam. The international festival of opera, music and theater has a daily program from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. From unique location performances to exciting productions in the halls of the city and from works in progress to world premieres, by young makers and more famous names. unexpected musical combinations, movies, pop-ups and late night shows.

You can expect absurd opera parodies in which Barbie dolls play the lead by The Estonian-American singer Sirje Viise, Waanzee by Rosa Ensemble is a two-headed rock monster in Annabel. There is community opera with BMX-bikes, an orchestra, choir and hip-hop moves by Rajiv Bhagwanbali, Keimpe de Jong and Senna Amarnis and Rotterdam rapper Raw Roets meets world-class opera singer Cora Burggraaf. They will perform together for the first time during First Dates as they find inspiration in each other and in the special location where they meet. The HBS is their meeting point. In the HAKA-building composer/songwriter Stefanie Janssen meets singer-songwriter LUKA. In de Doelen Rigoletto is performed by DESCHONECOMPANIE, Comp.Marius.

Inside Rotterdam Raw Roets will perform during O. — Raw Roets will perform during O.

Real O.(pera) fans

Artistic director Guy Coolen says about the festival: ”We are really looking forward to having a party with many artists from Rotterdam and outside, and with our audience. We invite everyone to a journey of discovery along touching and surprising voices popping up all over the city. In the theatres, on the street, or in unusual locations, finally, live again and hopefully with as many people as possible. I can not wait!”

Visitors can choose their own O. experience. With a day ticket, they can travel in one day from early to late. The real O.(pera) fans can go for a passe-partout with which they can dive into the wonderful world of O. for a week. Naturally, there are also individual tickets for sale for all performances. Ticket sales have now started.

Coverphoto: Rosa Quist