Floris Visser

Floris Visser
Born
Floris Jonathan Visser

(1983-04-22) 22 April 1983 (age 41)
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
EducationTheater Academy, Maastricht & Royal Conservatory, The Hague
Occupation(s)Opera director, Arts administrator, Professor of Drama
Years active2006, present
Websitewww.florisvisser.com

Floris Visser (born 1983) is a Dutch opera director and arts administrator. As an internationally acclaimed and award-winning director, he is considered one of the leading talents of his generation. Visser works in renowned opera houses such as Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Zürich Opera House, the Bolshoi Theatre Moscow, the Royal Danish Opera, Dutch National Opera & the Internationale Händelfestspiele. He holds professorships at several prominent institutes for the arts.

Education

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Born in Amsterdam, The Netherlands,[1] Floris Visser performed on the theatre stage from a very early age. During his years at elementary and high school he was trained as an actor, singer and classical pianist. Following his studies at the Gymnasium, he attended the Theatre Academy of Maastricht,[2] where he was educated as an actor and director. After graduating at the Maastricht Theatre Academy in 2006, he went on to study classical singing at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. While still a student there, he was appointed Professor of drama and dramaturgy at the Royal Conservatory, and served as assistant director at Dutch National Opera Academy and for Willy Decker at Dutch National Opera.

Early work

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In 2008 he directed Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro at the Royal Theatre Carré, followed by productions of Menotti's The Telephone and Poulenc's La Voix Humaine at the InternationalTheatre Festival Amsterdam and the New Festival The Hague. In 2009, he produced Handel’s Agrippina for the International Handel Year at the Royal Theatre The Hague [nl], and the Teatro Communale in Modena.[3] He then created a new production of Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito at the Lucent Danstheater. In 2011 he was dramaturg and assistant director for the production of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice on the lake of the Royal Palace of Soestdijk. In 2011, he also directed his own production of Rossini’s Il Signor Bruschino, which played at the Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam and Konzerthaus Berlin,[4] and staged Life with an idiot, after Alfred Schnittke's opera & Viktor Jerofejev’s novella, for Dutch National Opera.[5]

Cultural professor and artistic director

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In 2012, Visser was appointed Cultural Professor[6] at Delft University of Technology[7] In 2013, he directed the Dutch premiere of Benjamin Britten's Owen Wingrave[8][9][10][11] for the Dutch touring company Opera Trionfo. The same year he was appointed artistic director of Opera Trionfo.[12][13][14] In 2013, he was awarded the Charlotte Köhler Prize[15][16][17] 2013 by the Prince Bernhard Culture Fund.[18] His company's mission has always been to create productions of rare and unique opera repertoire and the development of young talent. Visser also turned the company into an international platform that coproduces with orchestras, theatres, and other opera houses at home and abroad.

Recent work

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Floris Visser at DNO's Opera Gala
Floris Visser at DNO's Opera Gala

In 2013, Visser became the youngest and first Dutch director ever to be invited to the Bolshoi Opera in Moscow.[19][20][21] Here he staged Mozart's Così fan tutte, which premiered in May 2014.[22][23] This production received five Golden Mask nominations, Russia's most prestigious theatre prize.[24][25] Amongst the nominations were those for Best Production and Best Director. His 2015 production of Gluck’s Orphée et Eurydice[26][27][28][29] for Dutch National Touring Opera got awarded Opera of the Year 2015 by Opera Magazine.[30][31] In 2016, he directed the world premiere of Pierangelo Valtinoni's The Wizard of Oz (Italian: Il Mago di Oz) at Opernhaus Zürich.[32] In 2017 Visser staged Handel's oratorium Semele for the opening of The Internationale Händelfestspiele Karslruhe,[33] which became a famous production with German and international audiences and press.[34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41] The same year he initiated a four-year plan for a series of newly composed operas called Sign of the Times in co-production with Opera Trionfo, Dutch National Opera and the Asko|Schoenberg Ensemble. The first episode, Fortress Europe,[42][43] was composed by Calliope Tsoupaki.[44] and premiered during the Opera Forward Festival 2017.[45][46] In 2017–2018 he directed Verdi's La Traviata for Dutch National Touring Opera [47][48][49] & Antigona by Tommaso Traetta as a co-production of Theater Osnabrück and Opera Trionfo.[50][51][52][53]

More recent productions were Vivaldi's oratorium Juditha Triumphans at Dutch National Opera (a first in the company's history),[54][55][56][57][58] Manon by Jules Massenet at Zürich Opera House with star tenor Piotr Beczala,[59][60][61][62][63] & Les contes d’Hoffmann at Staatstheater Karlsruhe. In the season 2019-2020 he directed Mozart’s Don Giovanni for the Badisches Staatstheater, Le Nozze di Figaro at the Aalto Musiktheater in Essen, and Madama Butterfly at Oper Graz. In 2022 he returned to the Händel-Festspiele to direct a highly praised production of Hercules, lauded as “outstanding” by Die Welt and “astonishing” by Frankfurter Rundschau. Opernwelt wrote: "Floris Visser shows Handel's oratorio "Hercules" in Karlsruhe as a visually powerful psychodrama. He turns Handel's oratorio Hercules upside down and tells the story from the end. With this ingenious setting…Visser transcends the conventional.” And Opera Now awarded it 5 stars and wrote: “an exciting production by Floris Visser. In a subtle analysis of Hercules’ relationship with his wife Dejanira he depicts the agonising abyss created by jealousy…. the great success of this pioneering production.”

In the summer of 2022 he made his UK debut at Glyndebourne Festival Opera with a highly praised production of Puccini's La Bohème. The Guardian lauded it as "A riveting show"[64] and The Times wrote: "It’s rare to encounter a staging that presents the world’s most popular opera in a radically different way... I was transfixed by Floris Visser’s production."[65]

Visser serves as an opera educator for Dutch National Opera Academy,[66] the Conservatory of Amsterdam,[67] the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, the Theatre Academy of Maastricht, and the International Opera Studio (IOS) Zürich. In 2018, he was invited to become a director at the Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities'[68][69][70]

Honors and awards

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  • Cultural Professor at Delft University of Technology.
  • Charlotte Köhler Prize by Prince Bernhard Culture Fund.
  • Nominations for Golden Mask Awards (best director and best production a.o.).
  • Opera of the Year by Operamagazine.
  • Director at the Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities.
  • Honorary Member of the Metropolitan Opera Club.

List of productions

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References

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  1. ^ "Floris Visser's page at the Theater Encyclopedia". theaterencyclopedie.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  2. ^ "Archive Theater Academie Maastricht | Floris Visser". toneelacademie.nl. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
  3. ^ "AGRIPPINA IN MANO AI GIOVANI" (in Italian). 2009-11-04. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  4. ^ Berlin, genussmaenner.de, Helmut Harff. "Termine | Young Euro Classic: Einakter von Rossini". genussmaenner.de. Retrieved 2018-05-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "Leven met een idioot – Het Muziektheater Amsterdam – 2011-09-23". Theater Encyclopedie. Retrieved 2019-04-18.
  6. ^ https://www.tudelft.nl/2012/tu-delft/operaregisseur-floris-visser-slecht-kloof-tussen-kunst-en-wetenschap/
  7. ^ "Youp van't Hek draagt stokje over aan Operaregisseur Visser". Announcement Cultural Professorship Floris Visser by TU Delft (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-05-29.
  8. ^ Peter van der Lint (2014-01-10). "De code is gekraakt, nu de diepte in". Trouw. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  9. ^ "Owen Wingrave". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). 14 January 2013. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  10. ^ "Beklemmende Owen Wingrave". NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  11. ^ "Benauwende opera van Britten met naar de strot grijpende beelden". Trouw (in Dutch). 14 January 2014. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  12. ^ "Nieuws Pagina – Podium – NPO Radio 4 – Floris Visser directeur bij KHMW". radio4.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  13. ^ "Floris Visser nieuwe directeur Trionfo". operamagazine.nl (in Dutch). 23 April 2013. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  14. ^ "Floris Visser benoemd tot algemeen directeur Opera Trionfo – .: Maxazine :". .: Maxazine :. (in Dutch). 2013-04-24. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  15. ^ "Niets dan de opera". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). 4 July 2013. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  16. ^ "Operaregisseur Floris Visser krijgt Charlotte Köhlerprijs 2013 – Opium". NPO Radio 1 (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2018-11-08. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  17. ^ Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds (2013-07-04), Floris Visser – Charlotte Köhlerprijs 2013, retrieved 2018-05-26
  18. ^ "Charlotte Köhler Prize 2013 Prince Bernhard Culture Fund". cultuurfonds.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2021-05-07. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  19. ^ "Così fan tutte at website Bolshoi Opera". bolshoi.ru. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  20. ^ "Biography of Floris Visser at Bolshoi Theatre". bolshoi.ru. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  21. ^ "Interview with Floris Visser on Così fan tutte". bolshoi.ru. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  22. ^ Bohlmeijer, Lex (2014-06-07). "Podcast: Hoe een Nederlands operatalent het Russische Bolshoi-theater op de banken kreeg". De Correspondent (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  23. ^ "Visser verovert Moskou met Così fan tutte". operamagazine.nl (in Dutch). 3 June 2014. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  24. ^ "List of nominees Golden Masks 2015". Golden Mask. Retrieved 2018-05-31.
  25. ^ "Nominatie regisseur Floris Visser". NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  26. ^ "A gut-wrenching and breathtaking Orphée et Eurydice". bachtrack.com. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
  27. ^ "Orphée et Eurydice door Nederlandse Reisopera – Theaterkrant". Theaterkrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  28. ^ "Orphée et Eurydice: wonderschoon". NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  29. ^ "Een liefdevolle en intelligente Orpheus". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). 3 May 2015. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  30. ^ "Opera van het Jaar 2015: Orphée et Eurydice". operamagazine.nl (in Dutch). 30 December 2015. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  31. ^ "Floris Visser ontvangt award voor Orphée". operamagazine.nl (in Dutch). 21 April 2016. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  32. ^ "Der Zauberer von Oz | production archive Zürich Opera House". opernhaus.ch. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  33. ^ "Floris Visser | Ensemble | Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe". staatstheater.karlsruhe.de. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  34. ^ "Die Affären des Präsidenten Jupiter". fr.de (in German). 2017-02-20. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  35. ^ "Szenik Live: Händels Semele in Karlsruhe I szenik". szenik.eu (in German). Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  36. ^ Zeitung, Badische. "Der Gott – ein Schnösel – Theater – Badische Zeitung". badische-zeitung.de (in German). Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  37. ^ Theaterverlag, Michael Merschmeier, Der. "Opernwelt – Archiv". Der Theaterverlag (in German). Retrieved 2019-04-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  38. ^ "ePAPER Ausgabe 02/2017 | Das Opernglas". opernglas.de. Archived from the original on 2018-11-08. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  39. ^ "Die Deutsche Bühne". Die Deutsche Bühne (in German). Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  40. ^ "Neuinszenierung von "Semele" eröffnet Karlsruher Händel-Festspiele". MUSIK HEUTE (in German). 2017-02-18. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  41. ^ "Karlsruhe: Semele / Online Musik Magazin". omm.de. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  42. ^ "Fortress Europe". Fortress Europe | Dutch National Opera & Ballet. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  43. ^ "PVV-stemmers werven voor de opera". NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  44. ^ "Een opera over Fort Europa". NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  45. ^ "Interview met Floris Visser – Fortress Europe – een metaforisch microdrama op een xenofoob continent – 8weekly.nl". 8weekly.nl (in Dutch). 2017-03-21. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  46. ^ "In Fortress Europe is Europa verworden tot een angstige, oude dame". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). 22 March 2017. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  47. ^ "Reisopera brengt frisse, genietbare Verdi-klassieker La traviata". NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  48. ^ "Hoe Violetta een traviata werd, hoe zij van het pad af raakte". Trouw (in Dutch). 2 October 2017. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  49. ^ "La Traviata door Nederlandse Reisopera, Scapino Ballet Rotterdam". Theaterkrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  50. ^ Döring, Ralf. "Premiere am Theater Osnabrück: "Antigona" kommt an" (in German). Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  51. ^ "Antigona door Theater Osnabrück, Opera Trionfo – Theaterkrant". Theaterkrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  52. ^ "Regisseur Floris Visser laat er in Antigona een tot in de puntjes doordachte regie op los". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). 9 February 2018. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  53. ^ "Opera Antigona – Nieuwsweekend". NPO Radio 1 (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2018-11-08. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  54. ^ "Juditha Triumphans". Juditha Triumphans | Nationale Opera & Ballet. 2018-02-05. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  55. ^ "Vivaldi met onthoofding en broeierige lapdance". NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  56. ^ "Juditha Triumphans door De Nationale Opera". Theaterkrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  57. ^ OperaVision (2019-02-25), TRAILER | JUDITHA TRIUMPHANS Vivaldi – Dutch National Opera and Ballet, retrieved 2019-04-19
  58. ^ OperaVision (2019-02-27), INTERVIEW | Floris Visser JUDITHA Vivaldi – Dutch National Opera and Ballet, retrieved 2019-04-19
  59. ^ Opernhaus Zürich (2019-04-10), Trailer – Manon – Opernhaus Zürich, retrieved 2019-04-19
  60. ^ "Opernhaus Zürich: Glanzvolle Premiere von Jules Massenet's Oper "MANON"". DAS OPERNMAGAZIN (in German). 2019-04-08. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  61. ^ www.update.ch, update AG. "Manon". opernhaus.ch. Archived from the original on 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  62. ^ "Floris Vissers Manon is creatief en diepgaand" (in Dutch). 10 April 2019. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  63. ^ "Details". oper aktuell (in German). Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  64. ^ "La Bohème review – Death stalks Puccini's lovers at Glyndebourne". the Guardian. 2022-06-12. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  65. ^ Morrison, Richard. "La bohème review — fresh take on the Puccini staple, with a megawatt Mimi". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  66. ^ Dutch National Opera Academy
  67. ^ "Floris Visser – Conservatory of Amsterdam". Biography at Conservatory of Amsterdam. 2017-11-08. Archived from the original on 2018-11-08. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  68. ^ "News Page – Podium – National Classical Radio 4 – "Floris Visser director at Royal Holland Society of Sciences & Humanities"". radio4.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  69. ^ "Announcement by Culture Agenda: 'Floris Visser appointed director Royal Holland Society of Sciences & Humanities'". cultureleagenda.nl. Archived from the original on 2018-11-08. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  70. ^ "Website Royal Holland Society of Sciences | KHMW". khmw.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  71. ^ "Toneelacademie Maastricht | Als Maria Magdalena (was reeds te zien tijdens Musica Sacra)". toneelacademie.nl. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
  72. ^ "'Orfeo' is aanstekelijk gebracht spitwerk". NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  73. ^ "De talloze gestalten van Orpheus". Trouw (in Dutch). 13 June 2005. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  74. ^ "Toneelacademie Maastricht | Händel". toneelacademie.nl. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
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