Stichting Ammodo, For arts, architecture and science

The Dutch National Ballet in close cooperation with the National Ballet Academy in Amsterdam started the Junior Company. The Artists Development Programme of the Junior Company of the National Ballet is intended as a springboard for top talent which is in the transitional phase between studying Dance and then moving into the professional field. It offers young dancers a two-year work experience and training placement, preparing them for a possible position with the National Ballet. Ammodo supports the Junior Company to promote new dance talent and to preserve the quality of the Dutch National Ballet.

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Het Nationale Ballet Junior Company, Ernst Meister, No time before time, 2016, photo: Michel Schnater

The opera Sunken Garden written by the Dutch composer Michel van der Aa together with the English author David Mitchell is one of the very first fully to integrate 3D film with live performance. The story is about a filmmaker who wants to make a documentary about the disappearance of three persons, and in preparing for this becomes entangled in a mystical garden, which will function as a place between life and death. Ammodo supports Sunken Garden to contribute to the development of an ambitious, experimental production of the highest international level, and as such a renewal of the opera genre.

In 2023, Ammodo released the documentary In Between Realities about the work of Michel van der Aa. Watch it now at ammododocs.org.

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Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Sunken Garden, 2013, photo: Mike Hoban

SPRING is a festival that encourages and presents contemporary artistic developments in the field of crossovers between dance, performance and theater. In May 2016 SPRING presents eight new (co)productions of new work by Jan Martens, Nicole Beutler and Tim Etchells, amongst others. In the series, a balance is sought between young and ‘established’ innovators with both small and larger productions. Ammodo is supporting SPRING over the period 2016-2018 to contribute to the realisation of new international (co)productions.

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SACRIFICE, Erna Omarsdottir & Valdimar Johannsson, Icelandic Dance Company

In 2011-2012 the Dutch National Ballet organizes the festival of new work entitled Present/s. Ten leading choreographers will create new pieces for the Dutch National Ballet. The ten choreographers are: Hans van Manen, Ton Simons, Paul Lightfoot & Sol León, Krzysztof Pastor, Ted Brandsen, Alexei Ratmansky, David Dawson, Christopher Wheeldon and Juanjo Arqués. All new choreographies will be performed with musical accompaniment by the Dutch Symphony Orchestra. Ammodo supports Present/s to contribute to the development of dance in general and in particular to the expanding repertoire of the Dutch National Ballet.

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Present/s, 2011

Toneelgroep Stormvogels presents the show De meester en Margarita by the Flemish director Julie Van den Berghe. De meester en Margarita is based on Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel from 1966 of the same name. The company has chosen not to use a conventional reworking of the book for the performance, but to create it’s own new stage adaptation. The aim is to create a contemporary, theatrical rendition of the underlying themes of this famous novel. Ammodo supports De meester en Margarita as a contribution to the artistic development of Julie Van den Berghe and Toneelgroep Stormvogels.

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Toneelgroep Stormvogels, De meester en Margarita, 2016, photo: Floyd Koster

In 2014, 2016 and 2018 TROMP is organising Repertoire Days to take place in Sao Paulo, Moscow and Tokyo. During the Repertoire Days which previously took place in Boston, Shanghai and Amsterdam, participants are offered the opportunity to participate in master classes given by judges and previous award winners such as Dominique Vleeshouwers, Nancy Zeltsman and Emmanuel Séjourné. The master classes are intended for talented percussionists under 30 years old and are a preparation for the percussion competition. Ammodo supports Repertoire Days at new locations to contribute to the development of talented young percussionists.

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Alexandre Esperet, TROMP winner, 2012, photo: Claudia Hansen

The David Kweksilber Big Band is a musical ensemble that focuses on experimenting with contemporary music, jazz and improvisation. The band has 26 renowned musicians with backgrounds ranging from classical to jazz improvisation. In both 2014 and 2015 DKBB presents various new compositions. Ammodo supports these new compositions in order to contribute to the development of the David Kweksilber Big Band.

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David Kweksilber Big Band, photo: Marcel Bakker

Noorderzon is an international performing arts festival that takes place every August in Groningen. The festival focuses on presenting small and medium size productions within the broad spectrum of interdisciplinary performing arts. In collaboration with international partners Noorderzon annually (co)produces a number of performances by promising theatre makers. Ammodo supports Noorderzon in actualising these international (co)productions because they make a contribution to the development of the performing arts.

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Kid Coala, Noorderzon, 2014, photo: Pierre Borasci

SHIROKURO is a performance by pianist Tomoko Mukaiyama, choreographer Nicole Beutler and lighting designer Jean Kalman. The foundations of SHIROKURO are the compositions of Galina Ustvolskaya and Robert Schumann. The nature of SHIROKURO is innovative: in this “dance concert” the basic principle is that dance and music are equal. By supporting this collaboration Ammodo aims to contribute to the development of a production in which dance, music and light are approached in an innovative way.

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Tomoko Mukaiyama and Nicole Beutler, SHIROKURO, 2013, photo: Anja Beutler

Blank Out is the new operatic production from composer-director Michel van der Aa. It is a composition for a ‘real’ soprano and a virtual baritone. The opera examines the human condition in a combination of live action, interactive 3D film and music. The performance premieres in 2016 during the Opera Forward Festival. Blank Out pushes the dramatic possibilities of opera by fully integrating technological resources in the theatrical performance. The project is a continuation of the technological innovation that Van der Aa applied in his film opera Sunken Garden (2011-2012), amongst other projects. Ammodo supports Blank Out to contribute to the creation of new work and the artistic development of Michel van der Aa.

In 2023, Ammodo released the documentary In Between Realities about the work of Michel van der Aa. Watch it now at ammododocs.org.

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Michel van der Aa, Blank Out, 2016, photo: Marco Borggreve

Mime theatre maker Boukje Schweigman (1974) develops the musical movement performance Erf (“inherit”). The show is performed by local players alongside professional actors. Erf is a play with ritualistic features about intangible legacies, family ties and location history. The substantive point of departure is the origin and belonging of every man to his biological and cultural history which is passed on through the generations and place of origin (touching on the different meanings of the word “erf”. Ammodo supports Erf to contribute to the artistic development of Boukje Schweigman.

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Boukje Schweigman, Erf, 2015, photo: Jochem Jurgens

Under the artistic direction of Lotte de Beer, from 2016-2018, Operafront will each year present an international co-production of new work for small and medium-sized halls. By editing existing operas and applying flexible manufacturing methods Operafront seeks to develop the opera of the future. The first production is an adaptation of Verdi’s La Traviata. The second opera, Caliban, is a new production and the third opera, Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss jr., is an adaptation of new and existing material. Ammodo supports Operafront as a way of contributing to the professional development of Lotte de Beer and the renewal of the opera genre.

operafront.com

Photo: Caliban, 2017

As Big As The Sky is an opera production from the composer and director Arnoud Noordegraaf, artist Ai Weiwei and writer Adrian Hornsby. The opera is produced by the Barooni Foundation in collaboration with the Holland Festival and performed by Asko | Schönberg and soloists. The story is inspired by the rise of China and the radical changes within that country. It explores the clash between traditional culture, the effects of globalization and the desire for authenticity. As Big As The Sky combines Western contemporary music with traditional Chinese opera, film and visual installations. Ammodo supports As Big As The Sky to contribute to the development of this contemporary opera production.

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Asko|Schönberg & Barooni, As Big As The Sky, 2015

In 2014, the music theatre ensemble Veenfabriek in collaboration with Muziektheater Transparant (Antwerp), baroque orchestra B’rock (Ghent) and Cappella (Amsterdam) created the production Arthur. Arthur is based on the semi-opera “King Arthur” by Henry Purcell (1659 – 1695), in which theatre, dance and opera come together. The piece memorializes the beginning of World War I and is an ode to love and country. Ammodo supports Arthur to contribute to the creation of this new co-production.

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Veenfabriek, Arthur, 2014, photo: Bowie Verschuuren

Programme V – Spiritwalking is a (international) co-production from the Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT). For this production NDT collaborates with the Kronos Quartet from San Francisco. The Kronos Quartet plays new and existing works from among others composer Philip Glass. The production is shown in the Food Center Amsterdam, the previous Markthal. The support of Ammodo is aimed at contributing to the development of a (international) co-production which will add to the renewal of the art of dance.

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NDT, Programme V – Spiritwalking, photo: Rahi Rezvani

Each year Toneelschuur Productions offers a select group of directors and theater artists the opportunity to further develop their talent through individual counseling by means of the programme House for Talent. The development of talent, professionalism and increasing involvement of audiences development are central to the programme. Participating makers include Paul Knieriem, Michiel de Regt, Erik Whien and Joost van Hezik. Ammodo supports Toneelschuur because House for Talent promotes the flow of directors and producers/playwrights to the big companies and thus contributes to the development of talented directors and theater makers.

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Toneelschuur Producties, Met mijn vader, photo: Annegien van Doorn

Since 2013 the Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam is extending an invitation in every odd year to an internationally interesting theater director: Brandstichter. In Brandstichter the work of the chosen international director is presented by several companies. In every even year it is the turn of an international theatre company of the highest caliber: Brandhaarden. In Brandhaarden the work of various directors is presented by one international theater company. Ammodo supports Brandhaarden/Brandstichter as a way of contributing to high quality international programming and contextualization in the Dutch theater.

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The Sound of Silence, 2007

Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) presents the contemporary dance performance Separate Ways, performed by the dancers of NDT 1. The performance consists of two world premieres: Clowns by Hofesh Shechter and Shut Eye from the choreographers Sol León and Paul Lightfoot. It is the first time that Shechter choreographed a piece for the NDT. He wrote the music and designed the costumes for Clowns himself. Ammodo supported Separate Ways as a way of contributing to the development of the NDT dancers and choreographers in question, and thus to the furtherance of contemporary dance.

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NDT 1, Seperate Ways, 2016, photo: Rahi Rezvani

Every year Gaudeamus invites five talented composers to participate in the Gaudeamus Academy. The Gaudeamus Academy offers young composers and students of composition the opportunity to produce their own work with several renowned ensembles and also provides the space for developing new work. The results of the Academy are presented during the Gaudeamus Muziekweek. Ammodo supports the Gaudeamus Academy to contribute to the development of talented young composers.

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Gaudeamus Academy, photo: Anna van Kooij

ICK Amsterdam focuses on producing dance performances, developing talent and stimulating research in the field of dance practice. Through the Lange lijnen programma ICK Amsterdam created five dance productions, including Etranger (2013), Sopranos (2014) and Extremalism Revisited (2015). Ammodo supports the Lange lijnen programma in order to contribute to the creation of new dance productions and the development of ICK Amsterdam.

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ICK Amsterdam and Toneelmakerij, Macbeth, 2015, photo: Alwin Poiana

The Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ in Amsterdam offers innovative composition commissions to prominent composers from the Netherlands and abroad. Over the space of three cultural seasons two new composition assignments will be granted per season. The World premières takes place in the Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ. By supporting the World Premières series Ammodo aims to contribute to the renewal and development of the repertoire of contemporary music at an international level.

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Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ, Great Hall, photo: Erik van Gurp