Amare too high-threshold for the ordinary Hagenees? "Absolutely not"
No, programmer Corné Ran thinks Amare is definitely not highbrow. "The musicals 'He believes in me' and 'Maduro' have been here. As have pop groups like the Zombies and Di-rect."
DATE
27 December 2022
TEXT
Herman Rosenberg
IMAGE
Brian Mul / Brian Bol / PR
Amare too high-threshold for the ordinary Hagenees? "Absolutely not"
No, programmer Corné Ran thinks Amare is definitely not highbrow. "The musicals 'He believes in me' and 'Maduro' have been here. As have pop groups like the Zombies and Di-rect."
The took some getting used to when the name of the new Hague cultural building was finally announced in October 2019: Amare. One of the ideas behind it - that it is a reference to the sea (mare) on which The Hague so gracefully lies - sounds a bit far-fetched. The reference to Latin is more obvious, then you end up with love. Of the music, of the dance, of the theatre, of all the culture to be enjoyed here.
'The atmosphere here is fantastic'
Corné Ran, responsible for programming a significant part of the performances and shows, adds another dimension. "It is wonderful to notice that an awful lot of people are embracing and loving this new building. 'What an allure!", I hear very often. Rightly so, because the atmosphere here is fantastic."
Dance theatre
Ran is right. The beautifully lit complex burns like a huge lantern in the city at night. Inside, the building surprises the public with its spacious hall, high staircase and expansive foyers. And within that, the two large halls - the Concert Hall and the Dance Theatre - hang like mysterious, sculptural objects. As a visitor, you just want to know what lies and takes place inside this temple of culture.
"It shimmers in Amare," says Ran enthusiastically. We speak to him in the large canteen on the third floor, where everyone sees each other, from dancers to students, staff members to orchestral musicians. "Everything is possible in this building," the programmer continues. "Actually, those designations of halls are too limited. The Dance Theatre, for instance, is also ideally suited for musicals and operas. The Concert Hall is also great for conferences. As staff, we are proud of the building and also dare to invite top artists and top ensembles again, such as the Bach Collegium Japan, the choir and orchestra of Masaaki Suzuki, who once studied at the Royal Conservatoire. And we will also have a piano series with next year's Canadian Angela Hewitt and Polish Pjotr Anderszewski.
Corné Ran, responsible for programming a significant part of the performances and shows.
That all sounds good, but all in all, isn't Amare still a bit high-threshold for the ordinary Hagenees? "No," exclaims Ran, "absolutely not. The musicals 'He believes in me' and 'Maduro' have been here. Pop bands like the Zombies and Di-rect have performed in the Concertzaal, a programming we do together with the Paard. Then the seats can be taken out, like with Di-rect, and there are bars with a beer tap in the hall. There are special beer pipes for that.
'It's really not just Beethoven and Bach here'
Yes, really. Without seats, we can have 2,500 people, which makes us bigger than Tivoli in Utrecht. So it's really not just Beethoven and Bach here. Amateur choirs also get a chance here, not to mention world music. Oh yes, John Cleese has also performed here. It couldn't be more varied."
New Church
And yet Amare's many stages - there are also two smaller halls - are not the only thing the foundation that operates the building has to offer. Ran, pointing towards the Spui: "There is the good old Nieuwe Kerk, a magnificent seventeenth-century building with fantastic acoustics. Radio 4 regularly comes to record here; choirs and smaller orchestras like to play here."
Meanwhile, the canteen has become buzzing with activity. Some of the cast of 'Maduro' enter, talking loudly. But there are also students and even children sitting there. These come from the highest floors of Amare, which are the magical domain of the Royal Conservatory (KC). The children populate the classes of the School for Young Talent. "This is where the top musicians and dancers of the future are trained," says Ran. "Previously, the KC was in an unfavourable location; now it is right here in the heart of the city. The students create atmosphere and liveliness and can connect with the pros of the Residentie Orkest and the Nederland Dans Theater. That too is a special quality that Amare offers."
Amare's regal foyers.
We stroll through the palatial foyers for a while, where counters are already ready for tonight's performance. "Before I forget," says Ran as he pauses, "for the foyers there will be separate programming of concerts and other smaller performances. There's always something to do here. And look, here's a piano. Do you play yourself? No. Too bad, because anyone can play here. Just like at the station, but on a good instrument. So do you want to perform in Amare? This is your chance!"
text Herman Rosenberg image Brian Mul / Brian Bol / PR
The took some getting used to when the name of the new Hague cultural building was finally announced in October 2019: Amare. One of the ideas behind it - that it is a reference to the sea (mare) on which The Hague so gracefully lies - sounds a bit far-fetched. The reference to Latin is more obvious, then you end up with love. Of the music, of the dance, of the theatre, of all the culture to be enjoyed here.
'The atmosphere here is fantastic'
Corné Ran, responsible for programming a significant part of the performances and shows, adds another dimension. "It is wonderful to notice that an awful lot of people are embracing and loving this new building. 'What an allure!", I hear very often. Rightly so, because the atmosphere here is fantastic."
Dance theatre
Ran is right. The beautifully lit complex burns like a huge lantern in the city at night. Inside, the building surprises the public with its spacious hall, high staircase and expansive foyers. And within that, the two large halls - the Concert Hall and the Dance Theatre - hang like mysterious, sculptural objects. As a visitor, you just want to know what lies and takes place inside this temple of culture.
"It shimmers in Amare," says Ran enthusiastically. We speak to him in the large canteen on the third floor, where everyone sees each other, from dancers to students, staff members to orchestral musicians. "Everything is possible in this building," the programmer continues. "Actually, those designations of halls are too limited. The Dance Theatre, for instance, is also ideally suited for musicals and operas. The Concert Hall is also great for conferences. As staff, we are proud of the building and also dare to invite top artists and top ensembles again, such as the Bach Collegium Japan, the choir and orchestra of Masaaki Suzuki, who once studied at the Royal Conservatoire. And we will also have a piano series with next year's Canadian Angela Hewitt and Polish Pjotr Anderszewski.
Corné Ran, responsible for programming a significant part of the performances and shows.
That all sounds good, but all in all, isn't Amare still a bit high-threshold for the ordinary Hagenees? "No," exclaims Ran, "absolutely not. The musicals 'He believes in me' and 'Maduro' have been here. Pop bands like the Zombies and Di-rect have performed in the Concertzaal, a programming we do together with the Paard. Then the seats can be taken out, like with Di-rect, and there are bars with a beer tap in the hall. There are special beer pipes for that.
'It's really not just Beethoven and Bach here'
Yes, really. Without seats, we can have 2,500 people, which makes us bigger than Tivoli in Utrecht. So it's really not just Beethoven and Bach here. Amateur choirs also get a chance here, not to mention world music. Oh yes, John Cleese has also performed here. It couldn't be more varied."
New Church
And yet Amare's many stages - there are also two smaller halls - are not the only thing the foundation that operates the building has to offer. Ran, pointing towards the Spui: "There is the good old Nieuwe Kerk, a magnificent seventeenth-century building with fantastic acoustics. Radio 4 regularly comes to record here; choirs and smaller orchestras like to play here."
Meanwhile, the canteen has become buzzing with activity. Some of the cast of 'Maduro' enter, talking loudly. But there are also students and even children sitting there. These come from the highest floors of Amare, which are the magical domain of the Royal Conservatory (KC). The children populate the classes of the School for Young Talent. "This is where the top musicians and dancers of the future are trained," says Ran. "Previously, the KC was in an unfavourable location; now it is right here in the heart of the city. The students create atmosphere and liveliness and can connect with the pros of the Residentie Orkest and the Nederland Dans Theater. That too is a special quality that Amare offers."
Amare's regal foyers.
We stroll through the palatial foyers for a while, where counters are already ready for tonight's performance. "Before I forget," says Ran as he pauses, "for the foyers there will be separate programming of concerts and other smaller performances. There's always something to do here. And look, here's a piano. Do you play yourself? No. Too bad, because anyone can play here. Just like at the station, but on a good instrument. So do you want to perform in Amare? This is your chance!"
