Fortress Europe is a new opera by the Greece-Dutch composer Calliope Tsoupaki about one of the most important issues of our time: the refugee crisis. It is the first edition of Sign of the Times, a series of newly composed operas that relate to current affairs, a co-production by Opera Trionfo with the Dutch National Opera and Asko|Schönberg Ensemble.
Fortress Europe will be premiered during the Opera Forward Festival on March 20, 21 and 22, in Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam.
The opera tells the story of Lady Europe and her son, the politician. Born in North Africa, Europe faced the world filled with courage and ideals. Now she lives in isolation in her apartment in Brussels. Meanwhile, her son fulfills the task of guarding the gate to Europe. A drama unfolds that is filled with political interests, personal desires and the fear and hate of populists.
Tickets Fortress Europe
In her compositions, Calliope Tsoupaki uses elements from old and contemporary music, and music from Greece and the Middle East, combining them into her own unique musical idiom. Following her training at the Hellinicon Conservatory, in Athens, she continued her studies in the Netherlands with Louis Andriessen. She stayed in the Netherlands and has developed into one of the country’s leading composers.
More about Calliope Tsoupaki
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