Don Quixote

OPERA2DAY & New European Ensemble
Don Quixote

An adventurous new opera about the reconquest of fantasy

WORLD PREMIERE
Sunday 22 January 2023 at the Royal Theatre in The Hague

TOUR
January to March in The Hague, Tilburg, Dordrecht, Haarlem, Groningen, Deventer, Nijmegen, Amsterdam, Gouda,  Leeuwarden, Alkmaar, Rotterdam, Almere, Amersfoort, Utrecht and Eindhoven

From January 2023, OPERA2DAY will present the brand new opera The ingenious nobleman Don Quixote of La Mancha. Together with the New European Ensemble, they will take audiences through the many realities of the famous knight from Miguel de Cervantes' famous novel, with new music that includes medieval music from numerous countries and cultures.

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In this completely newly composed opera, Don Quixote is the prosperous owner of an international holding company, with employees from all over the world. Despite his wealth, his life is monotonous and meaningless. In search of a more meaningful existence, he daydreams about times long gone. In the process, the boundaries between reality and fantasy become fluid. He imagines himself a knight and sees the people around him as servants, damsels or sorcerers. Everyone involved becomes embroiled in a life story as wonderful as it is moving.

Cervantes' novel The ingenious nobleman Don Quixote of La Mancha is one of the most famous works of world literature. A book that has also inspired for centuries; we found at least 90 operas starring Don Quixote. But almost all those operas take only one or a few passages from the some 1,000-page book, or reduce the character to a simple fool. But those who look at the book as a whole will see that it is surprisingly modern. The work deals with themes such as the gap between a beautiful dream and harsh reality, the increasing clashes between cultures and striving to find your own place in a globalising world. Don Quixote appears to be a madman, but the question arises: does he not actively choose that role? After all, who has really gone mad: Don Quixote, or the world around him? Time for a new opera. About: the recapture of fantasy.

For this production, the New European Ensemble works with the Italian La Fonte Musica, specialising in medieval music. Together, they bring the universe of Don Quixote to life. Composer Vanni Moretto incorporates compositions from that period in his score for the medieval fantasies of Don Quixote. Concept and libretto are by Stefano Simone Pintor. Vanni Moretto and Stefano Simone Pintor were part of the team that made Vivaldi - Dangerous Liaisons a huge success in 2019. Pintor is now also taking on directing duties. An overview of the artistic team and cast is here.

Don Quixote will premiere at the Royal Theatre in The Hague on Sunday 22 January 2023 at 15:00. This will be followed by a tour throughout the country, from Groningen to Eindhoven and from Nijmegen to Carré in Amsterdam. The full playlist can be found here.