Anyone who thinks opera is boring and corny, has obviously never been to a performance by BarokOpera Amsterdam. With accessible performances, excellent soloists and a fantastic instrumental ensemble, the company manages to convince more and more people that opera is anything but dull. In March, the group will stage Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, a fairytale opera inspired by Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The story is interspersed with versatile Bollywood dance numbers.

In The Fairy Queen, four lovers flee their parents’ ruthless laws and get lost in a magical forest, the domain of King Oberon and Queen Titania. The King and Queen are embroiled in a fierce battle over the custody of an Indian boy. To emerge victorious, Oberon orders the elf Puck to find a magical flower whose juices have an enchanting effect: anyone who gets the potion in their eyes falls in love with the first creature they see upon awakening, be it human or animal…
Just like in Purcell’s time, the fascination for other cultures takes central stage, with Indian dance bridging the gap between tradition, history and modernity. In the spirit of Purcell’s musical theatre, every act is concluded by a different ballet: classical, popular, sensual, and macho.