Operadagen Rotterdam 2017 Kicks Off Tomorrow

The 12th edition of Operadagen Rotterdam 2017 is launched by the Rotterdam alderman for culture, Pex Langenberg on Friday 12 May. The festival opens with Ivo Van Hove's Diary of one who disappeared at the Rotterdamse Schouwburg. It is but one of the performances during the opening weekend that touches on the festival theme of Lost & Found: Departures, with stories about the crossing of borders and the search for a new identity. The theme is topical. It connects with the social turbulence surrounding migration and xenophobia. Operadagen Rotterdam's rich and varied programme runs from 12 through 21 May. It presents 10 world premieres, 12 Dutch premieres, and more than 100 performances around the city.

Opening night
The programme opens in the Rotterdamse Schouwburg with Diary of one who disappeared and continues with First Night at the Opera with brief performances and samples of the programme featuring Marco Mencoboni, Claron McFadden, and foretastes of Freddie and Revolt Athens. A very special feature is SmartOper, the first interactive opera in the world that was created using a smartphone.

Performances about migration
In addition to Diary of one who disappeared there are other performances that deal with the theme of migration. The Channel by Annelys van Parys is a contemporary tragedy which draws inspiration from a recently found William Shakespeare manuscript. It tells the story of a refugee in Calais crossing the path of a transgender woman near the White Cliffs of Dover. The famous soprano Claron McFadden traces the common cultural roots of the Mediterranean with the globetrotting aubergine as her guiding light in Nightshade: Aubergine while Revolt Athens is an impressionist journey through the social and political reality of Athens today. Fortress Europe is a brand-new opera about the refugee crisis brought by Opera Trionfo and Asko|Schönberg.

Talks
The festival theme, Lost & Found: Departures, links Operadagen Rotterdam with current developments such as The Many people leaving hearth and home, voluntarily or by force, as they lose and sometimes rediscover themselves. Interviews and discussions offer visitors the opportunity to engage with the theme. For instance, by joining a debate about Europe's future (Future of Europa, 13 May). The audience can also participate in a Deep Democracy Debate after the performance Fortress Europe on 14 May.

First performances sold out
Ticket sales are in full flow. The first performances are already sold out such as the Rooftop Concert atop the Bijenkorf, the Paradijskerkconcert, the Nocturnal walk and the premieres of Diary of one who disappeared, Before I die, and Nachtschade: Aubergine. A limited number of tickets is still available for several events including the Opera bicycle tour and the premiere of Shorelines. Tickets are available online at www.operadagenrotterdam.nl or by phoning the box office of the Rotterdamse Schouwburg, 0031(0)104118110.

About Operadagen Rotterdam
Operadagen (Opera Days) Rotterdam is an international opera and music theatre festival in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, that attracted over 23,000 visitors in 2016. The festival presents contemporary, innovative, and ground-breaking productions by leading international makers as well as young adventurous talent. Please see our website for more information about the upcoming edition.

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