Dates

13-21 Nov 2021

Location

Dutch National Opera & Ballet, Main Stage

Running time

ca. 75 minutes

Tickets

Not available

Anansi

Music, dance and theatre for all

How ANANSI freed the stories of the world can be seen again in season 2024-2025. Check here for tickets and more information.

Forget Spiderman. The mythical spider Anansi will be taking over in the coming season. Dutch National Opera and Dutch National Ballet are joining forces to create a new, exciting music theatre production about this amazing creature who has travelled halfway round the world. Renowned opera stars, musicians from various genres, ballet dancers and dancers from the hip hop scene come together to tell a fascinating story which combines different cultures, sounds and movement styles in an innovative way.

Music, dance and theatre for all

How ANANSI freed the stories of the world is the first in a new series of productions to be presented jointly by Dutch National Opera and Dutch National Ballet in the coming years.

For this brand new performance, the makers delved into the story of the mythical spider Anansi, which originated in Ghana and then became known – in various versions – in the rest of West Africa, in Suriname and in the Caribbean. In this unique show the ingenious spider, whose cleverness is unmatched and who always manages to escape by the skin of his teeth, frees the world’s captive stories from the claws of the sly tiger Tigri. Though it goes without saying that this is no walk in the park.

 

‘This special world premiere opens doors to new stories, new sounds and new voices.’

 

The power of telling stories

This new music theatre production has been created by a very versatile artistic team and is a playful marriage of different cultures, sounds and stories. Neo Muyanga’s colourful composition takes you on a musical journey in which Western music styles are interwoven with Afro-Caribbean influences and West African percussion. In the innovative direction of Kenza Koutchoukali and the choreography of Shailesh Bahoran, promising soloists and the classically trained dancers of the Junior Company join forces with hip-hop dancers and various instrumentalists. Anansi, therefore, does not tell the story on his own, because, following the African oral tradition, telling stories is something you do together. The colourful sets and costumes are designed by Dieuweke van Reij.

 

Multitude of voices

Let yourself be enchanted by the adventures of the inventive spider Anansi. The title role is sung by the young South African tenor Zwakele Tshabalala. Latvian bass Agris Hartmanis sings the role of his opponent Tigri. They are joined on stage by DNO audience favourites Claron McFadden, Katia Ledoux and Martin Mkhize.

 

Anansi-toris

The libretto is based on the Anansi-toris: the numerous narratives featuring the spider Anansi. Originating from Western Africa, they have spread around the world with the African diaspora. Each narrative is unique because every narrator recounts an Anansi-tori in his or her own way.

 

Performance information

Libretto  Maarten van Hinte



Composition  Neo Muyanga

Stage direction  Kenza Koutchoukali

Conductor  Lochlan Brown 

Choreography  Shailesh Bahoran

Set and costume designs  Dieuweke van Reij

Support and additional choreography  Ernst Meisner

Lighting design  Wijnand van der Horst

Dramaturgy  Maarten van Hinte, Wout van Tongeren and Naomi Teekens

Sound design  Nina Kraszewska

Anansi  Zwakele Tshabalala 

Makuba  Katia Ledoux 

Tigri the Tiger  Agris Hartmanis

Snake the Serpent  Martin Mkhize**

Sista Leopard  Carla Nahadi Babelegoto

Princess Vixen  Claron McFadden

Hornets  Leonie van Rheden, Makudu Senaoana and Elenora Hu

Dancers  

Luca Abdel-Nour*, Koko Bamford*, Lily Carbone*, Mila Caviglia*, Joley Groeizaam, Lauren Hunter*, Nicola Jones*, Patrick Karijowidjojo, Isaac Mueller*, Gregory Myles*, Catarina Pires*, Gabriel Rajah*, Marchano Sarijoen, Guillermo Torrijos*, Arjuna Vermeulen, Louisella Vogt*, Lucinda Wessels, Sven de Wilde* en Koyo Yamamoto*. 

* member of the Junior Company of Dutch National Ballet

Orchestra  Het Balletorkest (The Ballet Orchestra)

Percussionist  Carlo Hoop

DJ  Abstract – Gestow Power

** Dutch National Opera Studio alumnus 

Coproduced and commissioned by Dutch National Opera and Dutch National Ballet

JC

Junior Company

De dansers van de Junior Company van Het Nationale Ballet zijn deel van de cast. Lees op deze pagina hun biografieën en meer info over de Junior Company!  

Bekijk een fragment uit ANANSI

Fragment ANANSI
Anansi
Anansi | Photo: Bart Grietens
Anansi
Anansi | Photo: Bart Grietens
Anansi
Anansi | Photo: Bart Grietens
Anansi
Anansi | Photo: Bart Grietens
Anansi
Anansi | Photo: Bart Grietens
Anansi
Anansi | Photo: Michel Schnater
Anansi
Anansi | Photo: Michel Schnater
Anansi
Anansi | Photo: Michel Schnater
Anansi
Anansi | Photo: Michel Schnater
Anansi
Anansi | Photo: Michel Schnater

How ANANSI freed the stories of the world - podcast

In this introductory (Dutch) podcast, Naomi Teekens and Wout van Tongeren - both dramaturges at Dutch National Opera - speak with the artistic team of How ANANSI freed the stories of the world.

How ANANSI freed the stories of the world

By: Naomi Teekens & Wout van Tongeren

Watch the teaser

ANANSI teaser
in the media
Reviews

(...) dazzling and imaginative musical theater.

14 November

The diverse cast, the explosion of crossovers between disciplines, and the picturesque stage setting are a feast for the eyes.

15 November

Cheerful show centered around spider Anansi.

15 November

At last! Dutch National Opera and Dutch National Ballet, under the same roof in multicultural Amsterdam for 35 years, have joined forces for a genre-crossing, inclusive family show. 

14 November

The family opera How Anansi freed the stories of the world is a dazzling total work of art.

 

15 November
Balletorkest

Dutch Ballet Orchestra

Since its inception in 1965, the orchestra has been proud to accompany its partners, Dutch National Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theater. The working method is unique in the Netherlands.

Het Balletorkest

Dutch Ballet Orchestra, with Matthew Rowe as principal conductor, consists of a regular core of 45 musicians, supported where necessary by highly qualified guest performers. This gives the orchestra its unique character: flexible, dynamic and high-quality.

More about Dutch Ballet Orchestra

Anansi
Rehearsal Anansi | Photo: Milagro Elstak
Anansi
Rehearsal Anansi | Photo: Milagro Elstak
Anansi
Rehearsal Anansi | Photo: Milagro Elstak
Anansi
Rehearsal Anansi | Photo: Milagro Elstak
Anansi
Rehearsal Anansi | Photo: Milagro Elstak
Anansi
Rehearsal Anansi | Photo: Milagro Elstak
Anansi
Rehearsal Anansi | Photo: Milagro Elstak
Anansi
Rehearsal Anansi | Photo: Milagro Elstak
Anansi
Rehearsal Anansi | Photo: Milagro Elstak

The Junior Company is made possible by

Opera & ballet online

Can't get enough of opera and ballet? Discover more than 6.842 hours of:

  • opera and ballet fragments
  • ballet classes and singing lessons 
  • behind the scenes videos
NOB visual