Xynix Opera

XX is the leading Youth opera company in the Netherlands, XX works with a variety of very diverse composers such as Selim Azíz, Jeff Hamburg, Chiel Meijering and Fons Merkies. Besides bringing modern opera to the stage, XX performs works of Henry Purcell, Claudio Monteverdi and Georg Friedrich Händel. In XX's vision, next to good music, absolutely essential for the creation of compelling opera for children (and for an audience that was previously unexposed to opera), is the quality of the story or libretto. Many operas are mainly remembered for their music. Only a few, like Don Giovanni, The Rake's Progress or The Death of Kinghoffer have a good libretto as well as good music. Adults don't seem to mind this, but for children however, an engaging, exciting and special story is essential. This is why XX will frequently draw good stories from sources such as mythology, Shakespeare's classic plays and outstanding children's literature. Xynix Opera's team is made up of highly experienced theatre-makers, special composers and librettists. Author of lyrics Jurrian van Dongen wrote three libretti, as did much awarded author Imme Dros. The company's regular set designer is Douwe Hibma, other collaborators include the internationally well known choreographers Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Jeroen Lopez Cardozo. Singers and instrumentalists whom attended major conservatories in the Netherlands are drawn from a pool of performing artists that often work with the XX team.