- Dmitri Shostakovich’s only operetta
- Jakop Ahlbom’s directorial debut for Dutch National Opera
- a show for the whole family (10+)
- spoken dialogue replaced by dance and movement
- premiere Thursday, 8 October
Cherry Town is a comic, musical spectacle for the whole family. In this new production by Dutch National Opera, directed by Jakop Ahlbom, a colourful cast of singers and dancers comes together. It is the only operetta by composer Dmitri Shostakovich and will be performed in English. The original spoken dialogues have been replaced with movement and dance, developed with Marco Gerris, artistic director of ISH Dance Collective and choreographer. The Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra will perform under the direction of Bassem Akiki.
Housing shortages, corruption, love: the themes of Cherry Town are all too relevant today. The announcement of a new construction project sparks hope in a city where rents are sky-high. Lots of people looking for a place to live, hope to find their new homes in Cherry Trees Estate. Unfortunately, they are soon confronted with the selfishness of the pompous property developer. Can honesty and love triumph over corruption?
In Shostakovich’s only operetta, we hear the composer’s lighter side. The work is filled with waltzes, polkas and other dance forms, while Shostakovich also parodies more serious musical styles. Director Jakop Ahlbom says: “The music of Cherry Town is light and accessible. Shostakovich blends humour with nostalgia, lightness with longing. That’s a combination I also see in many of my own inspirations, like the films of Buster Keaton. It’s precisely this mix that makes Cherry Town an inviting first introduction to opera.”
The swirling music is in the hands of conductor Bassem Akiki, who previously was at Dutch National Opera to conduct the world premieres of Animal Farm(2023) and We Are The Lucky Ones (2025). Akiki says: “People who know Shostakovich mainly through his symphonies and string quartets may be surprised by how irresistibly entertaining Cherry Town is. But this is not a different Shostakovich: his comedy and tragedy grow from the same musical language, with repetition, exaggeration, sudden tenderness and a deep suspicion of every promise that sounds too perfect.”
In this production, the original spoken dialogues have been replaced by dance and movement. Ahlbom developed the stunt and dance scenes alongside choreographer Marco Gerris, artistic director of ISH Dance Collective and winner of the Johannes Vermeer Prize 2025. Gerris says: “Precisely because many young people see opera as an elitist art form that’s far removed from their lives, I find it a challenge to create a connection to that world from the underground vibe of ISH. The dancers I work with are open to experimentation. That mindset fits the hip-hop culture: as long as you hold on to your principles, you can go in any direction. The same goes for the artists I collaborate with, like Jakop. It’s about immersing yourself in each other’s worlds and finding a new language together on stage.”
