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Olivia Colman, Olga Zuiderhoek and Anna Bonaiuto read Elena Ferrante's Belle van Zuylen lecture - Opening night literary festival ILFU dedicated to women's freedom

The Belle van Zuylen lecture at this year's ILFU literature festival will be written by Italian success author Elena Ferrante and spoken in three languages by Anna Bonaiuto, Olivia Colman and Olga Zuiderhoek. Ferrante herself never appears in public and has kept her true identity a secret for 30 years. Her lecture is titled "A tangle of written words" and promises to be in line... 

Read More "Olivia Colman, Olga Zuiderhoek and Anna Bonaiuto read Elena Ferrante's Belle van Zuylen lecture - Opening night literary festival ILFU dedicated to women's freedom

Writer Domenico Starnone on his fascination with human relationships: 'We feel fear of the other, because they always remain "the other".'

Secrets is the title of Italian writer Domenico Starnone's (78) latest novel. But actually, as far as he is concerned, the secret is not what the story is about. 'It is about the fear we feel for the other, because the other always remains, under whatever circumstances, the ánder.' Human behaviour Domenico Starnone's finely crafted, concise novels... 

Read More "Writer Domenico Starnone on his fascination with human relationships: 'We feel fear of the other, because they always remain "the other".'

Festival Circolo gets ready for 16-day circus festival in Tilburg

Festival Circolo takes place from 22 to 31 October in Tilburg. With the festival centre in the Leijpark and various satellite locations in the city, it will be one big circus party in Tilburg for ten days. Although, ten days... This year, Festival Circolo has secretly added six days. Because Les Choses de Rien's show L'Absolu - in a towering... 

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In the grip of mental illness. Jan van Mersbergen wrote a novel about the demise of his family

If either parent is not firmly on their feet, how does that affect an entire family? That is what Een goede moeder (A good mother), the new novel by Jan van Mersbergen (50), is about. The story is based on the past years of his own life. 'It wasn't supposed to be a reckoning.' Adventure novel Two years ago, he said that at 50, when he was... 

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Master prize for thriller author René Appel

Thriller author René Appel will receive the Master Prize on Saturday 18 September from the board of the Authors' Association's Crime Authors. Appel is the fourth winner of this prize for authors who have made a significant contribution to the development of the thriller genre in the Dutch language area. Appie Baantjer (2003), Saskia Noort (2013) and Tomas Ross (2018) preceded him. High ... 

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Golden coach door opens

Especially for Budget Day, the Amsterdam Museum opens the door wide. The door of the Golden Coach, that is! After a restoration of more than five years, the Golden Coach has been in a glass case in the courtyard of the Amsterdam Museum since 18 June. Visitors can view it there in peace and quiet. Until now, the door of the Golden Coach was... 

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Performania: mini-computers in balloons and a real electric oboe in cheerful craft theatre

There are some people, who would prefer to tinker all day with soldering irons and circuit boards. I once had such an uncle who sometimes did not entirely safe things with a 220-volt electric train, so I limited myself to battery-powered Lego. That you can also do something with electronics and music was, of course, already known, but what I saw in... 

Read More "Performania: mini-computers in balloons and a real electric oboe in cheerful craft theatre

Museum association sounds alarm: even strong museums will not get out of the one-and-a-half-meter without support

Last weekend's #unmuteus parades might lead you to believe that, as soon as the weather allows, the cultural world will be out of its misery in less than no time. The tens of thousands who took to the streets are quickly populating the halls again, and with a little more water with the beer, and slightly more expensive mints, the night and event industry - which is also there for the... 

Read More "Museum association sounds alarm: even strong museums will not get out of the one-and-a-half-meter without support

November Music 2021 starts ticket sales and presents the programme.

November Music 2021 starts ticket sales and presents the programme. The festival cuts across musical genres with 90 concerts in 10 days with 20 commissioned works and 25 premieres. November Music will take place from 5 to 14 November 2021 at various venues in 's-Hertogenbosch, including the Bosch Requiem 2021 composed by Hawar Tawfiq, festival composers Rebecca Saunders and Kaija Saariaho, Brad... 

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Westbeat, Amsterdam's newly built cultural fray, is perhaps too good.

Art, and certainly avant garde art, thrives on the frayed edges of society. Especially in the second half of the 20th century, industrial heritage and as yet unrenovated urban foam were the places where art could escape the norms of the ruling class. The NDSM wharf in Amsterdam North, Hall 4 or the Submarine Wharf in Rotterdam, Ceramique in Maastricht, Sterrebos in... 

Read More "Westbeat, Amsterdam's newly built cultural fray, is perhaps too good.

Tobias Kokkelmans starts as director of the Dutch Theatre Festival: 'More exchange between different groups in audiences and creators.'

'As for many people, the theatre festival really does mean something. Like the Fringe, it is impossible to imagine without it. I've been able to make artistic friendships there, I've been able to have arguments there, I've met people who I thought were adversaries who turned out to be comrades-in-arms. Because there are not only performances, there is... 

Read More "Tobias Kokkelmans starts as director of the Dutch Theatre Festival: 'More exchange between different groups in audiences and creators.'

The Golden Coach around Prince's Day. Lectures and evening opening at the Amsterdam Museum

22 Sept: Prinsjesdaglezing - Stalmeester Bert Wassenaar Two special lectures will be held on Wednesday 22 September from 14.00 - 14.45 and at 15.00 - 15.45 by the King's Stalmeester Bert Wassenaar especially for Prinsjesdag. On the rituals and symbols surrounding Prinsjesdag. The Golden Coach is a recognisable part of the Prinsjesdag ceremony. H.M. King Willem-Alexander and HM Queen... 

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Back to the primal power of magic, through youth theatre. With thanks to Jetse Batelaan.

Plays often end in chaos. An overturned liquor cabinet, a blood blade among royals, we are used to a few things. Jetse Batelaan's latest play, baroque and sharper than he showed before, also ends in beauty, but then that is actually the beginning. Indeed, the ending is sterile and stripped of any life. But that is where the performance begins. The artistic director of... 

Read More "Back to the primal power of magic, through youth theatre. With thanks to Jetse Batelaan.

New private museum in Amsterdam: a rather brazen action, seemingly fuelled by resentment.

'A beautiful gift to the city'- this is how the Hartwig Art Foundation describes on its website the plan to initiate a new art museum on the Zuidas. It is a private initiative by entrepreneur, art collector and philanthropist Rob Defares. The Amsterdam Arts Council has advised positively on the plan, with the municipality deciding soon. It sounds promising: an art hall - there will be no... 

Read More "New private museum in Amsterdam: a rather brazen action, seemingly fuelled by resentment.

Literary festival ILFU adds new festival day on hot topics of our time 

Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Lale Gül, Roberto Saviano and Alfred Birney, among others, make their appearance in Utrecht On Saturday 25 September, the first edition of Exploring Stories will take place: a special festival day at ILFU dedicated to the 'hot topics' or topical issues of our time. At Exploring Stories, topics such as climate, inequality, old and new colonialism, feminism and the... 

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NTF Pro: professionals look for gripes at Dutch Theatre Festival.

Those who fear - by virtue of being white men or women - that the descendants of enslaved people are coming to punish them for being grossly at fault for the consequences of the now infamous VOC Mentality, can sleep a little more peacefully again. During the first day of the Dutch Theatre Festival, Thursday 2 September in Amsterdam, surprisingly conciliatory noises rang out when it came to... 

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Nerd podcast s2a3: Guy Weizman talks to Wijbrand Schaap and Marijn Lems about The State of Theatre.

'We thought it would be a good idea, after a year and a half of misery, not to start immediately with the most critical perspective, but rather to emphasise how good it was to be together again.' In this podcast, Marijn Lems and Wijbrand Schaap look back with Guy Weizman at his 'State of the Theatre', the traditional opening of the... 

Read More "Nerd podcast s2a3: Guy Weizman talks to Wijbrand Schaap and Marijn Lems about The State of Theatre.

Elena Ferrante gives Belle van Zuylen lecture at ILFU - Italian bestselling author receives Belle van Zuylen ring from Utrecht municipality

On Thursday 23 September, Italian writer Elena Ferrante will deliver the thirteenth Belle van Zuylen lecture at the ILFU International Literature Festival Utrecht. She will also receive the Belle van Zuylenring, an international honorary award of the ILFU in cooperation with the municipality of Utrecht. Elena Ferrante is the author of, among others, the four-volume bestseller De geniale vriendin (Edizione e/o; Wereldbibliotheek). Unique event... 

Read More "Elena Ferrante gives Belle van Zuylen lecture at ILFU - Italian bestselling author receives Belle van Zuylen ring from Utrecht municipality

Winnie Sorgdrager leads committee on transgressive behaviour cultural sector

Minister of State and former chairman of the Council for Culture Winnie Sorgdrager is chairing the committee advising on countering cross-border behaviour in the cultural and creative sector. As previously announced, the council is setting up this committee in response to a request for advice from outgoing minister Van Engelshoven (OCW). The advice should provide insight into what is going on at... 

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Anne Lise Kjaer, futurologist, special guest at The Dutch Theatre Festival: 'If everyone stays in their bubble nothing will happen.'

If you want to navigate in unfamiliar waters, it is good to take a map with you. My father was a fisherman, he hardly read, but that's what he told me. Now that I come to Amsterdam, that is also the first thing I do: make a map. What museums are there, is there a cool restaurant, is there new architecture? 

Read More "Anne Lise Kjaer, futurologist, special guest at The Dutch Theatre Festival: 'If everyone stays in their bubble nothing will happen.'

Nerd podcast with Jan Veldman, Marijn Lems and Wijbrand Schaap on theatre refusers and cabaret.

We're talking about the non-attending theatre. Because it was all about it last week at Theatre Festival Boulevard and then on social media following this post. One who spoke out very strongly about it was theatre and screenwriter Jan Veldman (a.o. Theatre Group Jan Vos). 'I think thinking theatre is an elitist idea, and at least... 

Read More "Nerd podcast with Jan Veldman, Marijn Lems and Wijbrand Schaap on theatre refusers and cabaret.

To the makers, policymakers and culture lovers of the Netherlands: Statement by Kristel Baele, president of the Council for Culture, at the opening of the cultural season. 

"This weekend marks the opening of the cultural season, but also brings mixed feelings. More and more people are gradually finding their way back to museums, theatres and concert halls. The sounds and colours there grab us, comfort us and bring us together again. We experience culture now perhaps more beautiful than ever. We look forward to it.... 

Read More "To the makers, policymakers and culture lovers of the Netherlands: Statement by Kristel Baele, president of the Council for Culture, at the opening of the cultural season. 

Daan Roosegaarde falls through. But what about Zara?

There is a bit of a buzz about Daan Roosegaarde. Again, we might say, because Daan Roosegaarde, it turns out, cannot be described as a creator of original work, but as someone with a rather remarkably sensitive antenna for other people's ideas. Which he then presents as his own work. From the article in the Volkskrant on this, one and... 

Read More "Daan Roosegaarde falls through. But what about Zara?

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