Draft:Companions Opera

Opera Companions
IndustryTheatre, Opera
Founded1991
FounderPeter Kroone
Headquarters,
Netherlands
ProductsTheatre productions
WebsiteOfficial website

Companions Opera, also known as The Companions BV, was a private-held Dutch opera company founded by Peter Kroone and headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, operating from 1993 until 2008.[1] The company gained prominence for its approach to opera productions: they “organised so-called 360-degree operas, performed in sports stadiums where the stage covered the entire floor of the arena and the audience sat around it.”[2]

It started with a 10-year run of Opera in Ahoy, held from 1993 to 2002 at the Ahoy Sportpaleis in Rotterdam, where all opera productions premiered.

From 1998 to 2008, the company extended its reach by presenting these productions in various international cities such as Paris, Shanghai, Munich, Zurich, Hamburg, and Basel. Over a span of 15 years, Companions Opera produced more than 30 opera productions.[3]

History

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The genesis of Companions Opera can be traced to the early 1990s when there were experimental efforts to stage Verdi’s Aida in indoor sports venues in both England by Harvey Goldsmith and the Netherlands.[4][5][6] Drawing inspiration from these initiatives, Companions Opera and the Ahoy Sportpaleis in Rotterdam initiated a collaboration in 1992, culminating in the inception of Opera in Ahoy: a series of opera presentations within the Ahoy arena.

 
Scene from 'Turandot' (1996). Photo: Ivo Lucas Luyckx.

Officially inaugurated in January 1994, Companions Opera made a debut with a double bill performance of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci in a "360 degree" format. The new concept of the "360 degree" staging faced some skepticism from the press and public after a bad reception of Aida in the exhibition center Rai in Amsterdam in the summer 1993.[7] Eventually the pre-press and reviews by the media about the double bill performance ensured that a second edition could be planned. For January 1995 Bizet’s Carmen was announced.

In the next two years Companions Opera brought Puccini’s final masterpiece Turandot, and Verdi's Aida to Rotterdam. During these productions, Ahoy (part of the European Arenas Association) and Companions Opera started to invite arena managers to experience the concept and to discuss opportunities to bring productions abroad.[8]

The final three Ahoy-productions - La Traviata (2000), Nabucco (2001) and Il Trovatore (2002) - marked by interpretations that deviated from traditional realism. La Traviata, for instance, featured a setup where the arena floor was empty, except for the enlarged sheets of Verdi's original music score on the floor, to realise “intangible emotion in a circle of emptiness” in the final act.[9]

A few years earlier, in 1998, Companions Opera produced their first two productions outside Rotterdam: Aida in the Gelredome Arena in Arnhem and Carmen in the Sportpaleis Arena in Antwerp. In 2001 Companions Opera produced an open-air Rigoletto-production for the Rotterdam Cultural Capital City of 2001, set in the harbour of Rotterdam.[10]

International productions

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'Carmen' in Hamburg (2006). Photo: Paul Bergen.

In the ensuing years, the productions of Companions Opera initiated interest from arena managers internationally.[11] After the 1998-production of Carmen in Antwerp, Aida was performed in the new soccer stadium of Schalke 04 in Gelsenkirchen, in collaboration with the Neue Philharmonie Westfalen and its conductor Johannes Wildner. Almost at the same time Aida was performed in Stade de France in Paris, being the first Aida performance since 1968 in Paris.[12] The original Aida-arena production was re-designed to fit the large stadiums. A few months later, in December 2001, La Traviata was performed in the Olympiahalle in Munich.

After Aida Companions Opera developed and produced two more stadium productions: Carmen (2003) and a new production of Nabucco (2005).[13][14] Nabucco was subsequently also resized to be presented in arenas. From 2001 onwards the famous three operas (Aida, Carmen and Nabucco) brought Companions Opera to several cities in Germany, Basel and Zurich in Switzerland, Shanghai in China and back to Paris, France.

Companions Opera staged their last production, Nabucco, in September 2008 in Stade de France in Paris. The financial crises that started in 2008, and the introduction of opera in cinemas via high definition streaming, made it no longer affordable for Companions Opera to develop and stage large scale opera productions.[8]

Productions

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Overview of the productions of Companions Opera[15]
Country Titel Creatives Venue Premiere Conductor, orchestra and main soloists
The Netherlands Cavalleria Rusticana
(Pietro Mascagni)
  • Director: Bruno Stefano
  • Scenery: Bernard Arnould
  • Costumes: Bernard Arnould
  • Light: Michel Theuil
  • Sound: Wilfred Houthuijsen/Peter Scheunhage
Ahoy Arena Rotterdam, Rotterdam 1994, January 19th
  • Conductor: Roberto Paternostro
  • Orchestra: Budapest Opera Orchestra
  • Santuzza: Gisella Pasino
  • Turiddu: Corneliu Morgu
  • Alfio: Claudio Otelli
Pagliacci
Ruggero Leoncavallo
  • Conductor: Roberto Paternostro
  • Orchestra: Budapest Opera Orchestra
  • Nedda: Fiamma Izzo D'Amico
  • Canio: Corneliu Morgu
  • Tonio: Claudio Otelli
  • Silvio: Marzio Giossi
Carmen
Georges Bizet
  • Director: Bernard Broca
  • Scenery: Bernard Arnould
  • Costumes: Bernard Arnould
  • Light: Philippe Arlaud
  • Sound: Wilfred Houthuijsen/Peter Scheunhage
1995, January 25th
  • Conductor: Roberto Paternostro
  • Orchestra: Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen
  • Carmen: Gisella Pasino
  • Don José: Corneliu Morgu
  • Micaela: Fiamma Izzo D'Amico
  • Escamillo: Claudio Otelli
Turandot
Giacomo Puccini
  • Director: Bernard Brava
  • Scenery: Bernard Arnould
  • Costumes: Bernard Arnould
  • Light: Philippe Arlaud
  • Sound: Wilfred Houthuijsen/Peter Scheunhage
1996, January 24th
  • Conductor: Roberto Paternostro
  • Orchestra: Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen
  • Turandot: Francesca Patanè
  • Calaf: Wolfgang Schmidt
  • Liu: Fiamma Izzo D'Amico
  • Timur: Nicola Ghiuselev
Aida
Giuseppe Verdi
1998, January 23rd
  • Conductor: Roberto Paternostro
  • Orchestra: Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen
  • Aida: Olga Romanko
  • Radames: Maurizio Frusoni
  • Amneris: Stefania Toczyska
  • Amonasro: Claudio Otelli
Gelredome, Arnhem 1998, May 23rd
  • Conductor: Roberto Paternostro
  • Orchestra: Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen
  • Aida: Hasmik Papian
  • Radames: Maurizio Frusoni
  • Amneris: Stefania Toczyska
  • Amonasro: Claudio Otelli
Cavalleria Rusticana
(Pietro Mascagni)
  • Director: Bruno Stefano
  • Scenery: Bernard Arnould
  • Costumes: Bernard Arnould
  • Light: Marc Heinz
  • Sound: Cees Wagenaar
Ahoy Arena Rotterdam, Rotterdam 1999, January 21st
  • Conductor: Catherine Rückwardt
  • Orchestra: Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen
  • Santuzza: Maria Slavkova
  • Turiddu: Stefano Algieri
  • Alfio: Michele Kalmandi
Pagliacci
Ruggero Leoncavallo
  • Conductor: Catherine Rückwardt
  • Orchestra: Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen
  • Nedda: Carmen Serrano
  • Canio: Moises Paker
  • Tonio: Ettore Kim Don-Kyu
  • Silvio: Johnny Bulgaro
Carmen
Georges Bizet
  • Director: Bernard Broca
  • Scenery: Bernard Arnould
  • Costumes: Bernard Arnould
  • Light: Marc Heinz
  • Sound: Cees Wagenaar
Gelredome, Arnhem 1999, March 26th
  • Conductor: Piere-Michel Durand
  • Orchestra: Bourgos Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Carmen: Sarah M'Punga
  • Don José: Bojidar Nikolov
  • Micaela: Eva Lind
  • Escamillo: Stefano Rinaldi-Miliani
La Traviata
Giuseppe Verdi
  • Director: Ken Caswell
  • Scenery: Bernard Arnould
  • Choreography: Craig Revel Horwood
  • Costumes: AZIZ - Aziz Bekkauoi
  • Light: Marc Heinz
  • Sound: Guy Desrochers
Ahoy Arena Rotterdam, Rotterdam 2000, January 20th
  • Conductor: Ed Spanjaard
  • Orchestra: Nederlands Ballet Orkest
  • Violetta: Stefania Bonfadelli
  • Alfredo: Vicente Umbuena
  • Giorgio: Ettore Kim Don-Kyu
  • Gastone: Felipe Rojas
  • Flora: Marianna Kulikova
Nabucco
Giuseppe Verdi
  • Director: Bernard Broca
  • Scenery: Bernard Arnould
  • Costumes: AZIZ - Aziz Bekkauoi
  • Light: Fabrice Kebour
  • Sound: Guy Desrochers
2001, January 25th
  • Conductor: Walter Attanasi
  • Orchestra: Nederlands Ballet Orkest
  • Nabucco: Michele Kalmandi
  • Abigaille: Gabriella Morigi
  • Zaccaria: Harry Peeters
  • Ismael: Felipe Rojas
  • Fenena: Marianna Kulikova
Rigoletto
Giuseppe Verdi
  • Director: Bernard Broca
  • Scenery: Bernard Broca / Companions Opera
  • Choreography: Noes Fiolet
  • Costumes: Oscar Suleyman
  • Light: Marc Heinz
  • Sound: Cees Wagenaar
Harbour (Open-Air), Rotterdam 2001, September 6th
  • Conductor: Paolo Olmi
  • Orchestra: Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest
  • Rigoletto: Mark Rucker
  • Gilda: Daniela Lojarro
  • Il Duca: Alexandru Badea
  • Sparafucile: Arutjun Kotchinian
  • Maddalena: Mariselle Martinez
Il Trovatore
Giuseppe Verdi
Ahoy Arena Rotterdam, Rotterdam 2002, January 16th
  • Conductor: Ed Spanjaard
  • Orchestra: Nederlands Ballet Orkest
  • Manrico: Ignacio Encinas
  • Leonara: Olga Romanko
  • Azucena: Elisabetta Fiorillo
  • Conte di Luna: Vladimir Stoyanov
  • Ferrando: Martin Tzonev
Belgium Carmen
Georges Bizet
  • Director: Bernard Brava
  • Scenery: Bernard Arnould
  • Costumes: Bernard Arnould
  • Light: Marc Heinz
  • Sound: Cees Wagenaar
Lotto Arena, Antwerp 1998, March 6th
  • Conductor: Gueorgui Notev
  • Orchestra: Sofia National Opera Orchestra
  • Carmen: Sarah M'Punga
  • Don José: Moises Parker
  • Micaela: Olga Romanko
  • Escamillo: Claudio Otelli
Cavalleria Rusticana
(Pietro Mascagni)
  • Director: Bruno Stefano
  • Scenery: Bernard Arnould
  • Costumes: Bernard Arnould
  • Light: Marc Heinz
  • Sound: Cees Wagenaar
1999, February 26th
  • Conductor: Catherine Rückwardt
  • Orchestra: Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen
  • Santuzza: Maria Slavkova
  • Turiddu: Stefano Algieri
  • Alfio: Michele Kalmandi
Pagliacci
Ruggero Leoncavallo
  • Conductor: Catherine Rückwardt
  • Orchestra: Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen
  • Nedda: Carmen Serrano
  • Canio: Moises Paker
  • Tonio: Ettore Kim Don-Kyu
  • Silvio: Johnny Bulgaro
Germany Aida
Giuseppe Verdi
Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen 2001, September 1st
La Traviata
Giuseppe Verdi
  • Director: Ken Caswell
  • Scenery: Bernard Arnould
  • Choreography: Craig Revel Horwood
  • Costumes: AZIZ - Aziz Bekkauoi
  • Light: Marc Heinz
  • Sound: Stan Taal
Olympiahalle, Munich 2001, December 26th
Carmen
Georges Bizet
  • Director: Bernard Broca
  • Scenery: Bernard Arnould
  • Costumes: Bernard Arnould
  • Light: Simon Mills
  • Sound: Stan Taal
Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen 2003, September 6th
  • Conductor: Johannes Wildner
  • Orchestra: Neue Philharmonie Westfalen
  • Carmen: Hermine May
  • Don José: Bojidar Nikolov
  • Micaela: Althea-Maria Papoulia
  • Escamillo: Johannes von Duisburg
Aida
Giuseppe Verdi
O₂ World, Hamburg 2004, February 16th
  • Conductor: Ralf Weikert
  • Orchestra: Hamburger Symphoniker
  • Aida: Daniela Longhi
  • Radames: Bojidar Nikolov
  • Amneris: Chariklia Mavropoulou
  • Amonasro: Johannes von Duisburg
TUI Arena, Hannover 2005, Februari 12th
Carmen
Georges Bizet
  • Director: Bernard Broca
  • Scenery: Bernard Arnould
  • Costumes: Bernard Arnould
  • Light: Simon Mills
  • Sound: Stan Taal
O₂ World, Hamburg 2006, February 17th
Aida
Giuseppe Verdi
Olympiahalle, Munich 2006, April 15th
SAP Arena, Mannheim 2006, May 15th
Espirit Arena, Düsseldorf 2006, September 2nd
  • Conductor: John Fiore
  • Orchestra: Düsseldorfer Symphoniker
  • Aida: Morenike Fadayomi
  • Radames: Keith Olsen
  • Amneris: Chariklia Mavropoulou
  • Amonasro: Boris Statsenko
Nabucco
Giuseppe Verdi
  • Director: Charles Roubaud
  • Scenery: Emanuelle Favre
  • Costumes: Katia Duflot
  • Light: Fabrice Kebour
  • Sound: Stan Taal
O₂ World, Hamburg 2007, March 2nd
  • Conductor: Ralf Weikert
  • Orchestra: Hamburger Symphoniker
  • Nabucco: Jacek Strauch
  • Abigaille: Rosa D'Imperio
  • Zaccaria: Francesco Ellero D'Artegna
  • Ismael: Javier Palacios
  • Fenena: Tiziana Carraro
SAP Arena, Mannheim 2007, April 27th
  • Conductor: Alex Kober
  • Orchestra: Nationaltheater Orchester Mannheim
  • Nabucco: Jacek Strauch
  • Abigaille: Rosa D'Imperio
  • Zaccaria: Francesco Ellero D'Artegna
  • Ismael: Javier Palacios
  • Fenena: Tiziana Carraro
France Aida
Giuseppe Verdi
Stade de France, Paris 2001, September 14th
Nabucco
Giuseppe Verdi
  • Director: Charles Roubaud
  • Scenery: Emanuelle Favre
  • Costumes: Katia Duflot
  • Light: Fabrice Kebour
  • Sound: Stan Taal
2008, September 27th
Switzerland Aida
Giuseppe Verdi
St. Jakob-Park, Basel 2003, June 19th
Carmen
Georges Bizet
  • Director: Bernard Broca
  • Scenery: Bernard Arnould
  • Costumes: Bernard Arnould
  • Light: Simon Mills
  • Sound: Stan Taal
Hallenstadion, Zürich 2003, December 17th
  • Conductor: Michel Sasson
  • Orchestra: Baden-Badener Philharmonie
  • Carmen: Monica Minarelli
  • Don José: Miquel Alono
  • Micaela: Maria D'Aragnes
  • Escamillo: Armando Mora
Nabucco
Giuseppe Verdi
  • Director: Charles Roubaud
  • Scenery: Emanuelle Favre
  • Costumes: Katia Duflot
  • Light: Fabrice Kebour
  • Sound: Stan Taal
St. Jakob-Park, Basel 2006, June 8th
  • Conductor: Enrico Dovico
  • Orchestra: Baden-Badener Philharmonie
  • Nabucco: Jacek Strauch
  • Abigaille: Rosa D'Imperio
  • Zaccaria: Francesco Ellero D'Artegna
  • Ismael: Vicente Ombuena
  • Fenena: Andrea Ulbrich
La Traviata
Giuseppe Verdi
  • Director: Ken Caswell
  • Scenery: Bernard Arnould
  • Choreography: Craig Revel Horwood
  • Costumes: AZIZ - Aziz Bekkauoi
  • Light: Marc Heinz
  • Sound: Stan Taal
Hallenstadion, Zürich 2007, November 23rd
China Carmen
Georges Bizet
  • Director: Bernard Broca
  • Scenery: Bernard Arnould
  • Costumes: Bernard Arnould
  • Light: Simon Mills
  • Sound: Stan Taal
Shanghai Stadium, Shanghai 2004, October 16th
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References

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  1. ^ Smits, Matthijs. "Opera in Ahoy richt zich met Carmen sterker op bedrijven". Financieel Dagblad (in Dutch). 1994-05-18. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  2. ^ Lucassen, Christine. "Je moet doorpakken, hoe pijnlijk ook". Financieel Dagblad (in Dutch). 2012-03-19. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
  3. ^ Companions Opera. "Productions overview". Companions Retrieved 2023-03-05.
  4. ^ "About". Website Harvey Goldschmidt. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  5. ^ "About AMP". Website Harvey Goldschmidt. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
  6. ^ Jansen, Kasper. "Aida in sporthal Den Bosch levert stof voor veertig eeuwen discussie". NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). 1990-08-27. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  7. ^ "Bezoekers Aida willen geld terug". NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). 1993-06-25. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  8. ^ a b "Looking back in gratitude". Companions Opera. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
  9. ^ Jansen, Kasper. "Wezenlijke ontroering in een kring van leegte". NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). 2000-01-21. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  10. ^ Rubinstein, Jan. "Opera leeft in Rotterdam". Ons Erfdeel (in Dutch). pag. 776 (2001). Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  11. ^ "Carmen met acht paarden, honden en ezel in Ahoy". NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). 1995-01-21. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  12. ^ Alexander, Caroline. "AIDA de Giuseppe Verdi. Verdi en superproduction: quand le grandiose écrase la grandeur…". Webtheatre (in French). 2013-01-14. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  13. ^ Menzel, Gerhard. "Ein großes Arenaspektakel, aber nur für die Augen". Online Musik Magazine (in German). Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  14. ^ "Opernspektakel im Fussballstadion". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). 2006-06-10. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  15. ^ "Productions overview". Companions Opera. Retrieved 2023-03-05.

See also

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  • YouTube channel for live video recordings.
  • Audio recordings of Aida, Carmen, Turandot, Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci, Il Trovatore, Nabucco and La Traviata, available on all streaming services.
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