A hopeful fairy tale
Zafferano – a traveling salesman of spices and a troubadour – has been traveling through Italy for years. He is looking for a special place: a small village on a hidden bay. According to an old legend, people live there who sing to each other instead of talking. And Crostina bakes the most delicious bread in the world there. Almost no one knows where the village is. No one from outside the village has ever eaten the bread. And no one has ever heard the inhabitants sing. Until Zafferano arrives. His arrival changes everything in the village of Camini Nacrosti. The peace vanishes. The shells in the soup no longer open. Even the yeast for the bread goes flat. Nothing works according to the familiar recipe anymore. Now that hunger is knocking at the door, people start turning against one another. History seems to be repeating itself, until Nonna, Crostina's ancestor, intervenes...
The Hidden Bay is about change and its (social) consequences. What happens when everything becomes different from what you are used to? And what does that do to people and to a community? It is a musical fairy tale about change, fear, and trust. But above all, it is a comical chamberopera full of hope. Because sometimes the solution comes from someone you don't know at first.
Appeltaartconcerten aims to make classical music accessible to everyone. That is why the musicians play not only in concert halls, but also in community centers, neighborhood centers, theaters, churches, and nursing homes. The apple pie represents the atmosphere we want to offer: warm, relaxed, and safe. With The Hidden Bay, we are creating a performance where music and theater come together. A performance that allows you to slow down for a moment. That brings people together. And that creates space to listen to each other. Appeltaartconcerten organizes approximately 220 concerts and music theater performances every year in many different locations throughout the Netherlands.
Credits Cast & Crew
Crostina / Nonna Karin Strobos (mezzo-soprano)
Zafferano Santucci di Navelli Mattijs van der Woerd (baritone)
Villagers Michiel Holtrop (viola), Maria du Toit (clarinets), Kalle de Bie / Anjali Tanna (cello), Ernst Munneke / Daan Kortekaas (piano/effects)
Composition Monique Krüs
Libretto Xandra Knebel
Stage direction Annechien Koerselman
Set-, Costume- & Lightdesign Annechien Koerselman
Artistic & Business Management Michiel Holtrop
Organisation Appeltaartconcerten
CALENDAR
Utrecht (NL) Stadsschouwburg February 05, 2027 10.30h premiere
Weesp (NL) Van Houtenkerk February 10, 2027 14.30h
Den Haag (NL) St. John and St. Philip February 15, 2027 14.00h
Amsterdam (NL) 't Zonnehuis February 17, 2027
Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht (NL) Cascade March 02, 2027 10.30h
Rotterdam (NL) Theater in de Lugt March 11, 2027 10.30h
Nieuwegein (NL) Dorpskerk Jutphaas March 17, 2027 10.30h
will be further complemented