Culture Guide (May 2024)

Edward Scissorhands

For: the dance aficianado

After his wildly successful sold-out Sleeping Beauty, Tony award-winning choreographer Matthew Bourne returns with Edward Scissorhands, a dance performance based on Tim Burton’s iconic and beloved tale. Bourne’s choreography animates this moving story of the cruelty of conformity and the struggle for acceptance, exclusively on the Carre stage.  

Edward Scissorhands | 29 May–2 June | Theater Carre 

Amsterdam Art Week

For: the art lover…

During Amsterdam Art Week, the city is fit to bursting as contemporary art is displayed across 65 venues, with art galleries, museums, and project spaces all boasting exhibitions that feature the best of local and international art. Beloved institutions like the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk, and Eye Filmmuseum will take part alongside lesser-known galleries and spaces such as SEXYLAND World and Vlaams Cultuurhuis de Brakke Grond, featuring diverse art programs with over 200 participating artists. 

Amsterdam Art Week | 29 May–2 June | Multiple Locations

Il trittico

For: the (not so) old-school maestro...

This year marks a century since renowned Italian maestro Giacomo Puccini’s passing and his creative legacy is still felt in the world of opera today. His one-act opera trilogy will be performed in the National Opera and Ballet for the first time, led by chief conductor Lorenzo Viotti, who is intimately acquainted with Puccini's work. In Il trittico, witness Puccini's timeless exploration of mortality, love and family ties come together across three operas performed in succession. 

Il trittico | 3–19 May | National Opera & Ballet

Hatched

For: the experimental dance enthusiast

This exciting fusion of classical Western dance with traditional African movement and vocal scores is the brainchild of choreographer Mamela Nyamza. Known for her autobiographical dance compositions, Nyamza’s work explores the multifaceted nature of her identity as a mother, lesbian, and artist. Hatched is brought to life by nine ballet dancers from different backgrounds, whose movements weave a beautiful tapestry of personhood.

Hatched | 20–21 May | International Theatre Amsterdam

MOØDe: Anton Corbijn

For: the trend setter...

For fashion lovers and photography darlings, Anton Corbijn’s exhibition at Cobra Museum of Modern Art is an essential stop. With around 200 photos on show, all in Corbijn’s trademark high contrast and moody monochrome palette, stroll past portraits of anyone from Tom Waits to Naomi Campbell and bask in the light of fashion icons.

MOØDe, Anton Corbijn | Until 12 May | Cobra Museum of Modern Art 

Manahahtáanung or Nieuw Amsterdam

For: the history buff…

Four centuries later, the legacy of Dutch colonialism looms over Manhattan, known as Manahahtáanung to the indigenous Lenape tribe. The Amsterdam Museum, in collaboration with the City Museum of New York and members of the Lenape tribe, presents a new exhibition that sheds light on indigenous perspectives of Dutch colonialism in the area once called New Amsterdam. As a part of the exhibition, a symposium will be held on May 15th, featuring indigenous speakers who will share their stories of history, struggle and overcoming.  

Manahahtáanung or Nieuw Amsterdam | 16 May–10 November | Amsterdam Museum

Lord of the Flies

For: the dramatist

William Goulding’s classic tale of boyhood lost takes to the stage of Mike’s Badhuistheater with the cast of Brussel’s English Youth Theatre. A shocking examination of human nature, Lord of the Flies tells the story of a group of boys stranded on a deserted island. Far away from watchful adult eyes, it isn’t long before civility begins to unravel, with disastrous consequences. Don’t miss this adaptation of the timeless novel that continues to fascinate and provoke even seventy years after it was first published.

Lord of the Flies | 25 May | Mike’s Badhuistheater

World Press Photo Exhibit

For: the politically-minded...

Each year, the World Press Photo exhibit captivates audiences with its display of the year’s most striking and evocative moments in photojournalism. This year is no different, with images selected from more than 61,000 entries worldwide. The pictures cover urgent global issues, telling stories of war zones, political unrest and climate change. For its premiere, the World Press Photo exhibit will be housed in De Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam’s oldest church, after which it begins its global tour.

World Press Photo | 19 April–14 July | De Nieuwe Kerk

Origin

For: the dancing queen…

Scapino Ballet performs Origin, a dynamic blend of classical ballet, Israeli folk, and Chinese dance, the result of a collaboration between international choreographers Xingxing Gong and Lior Tavori, who bring their diverse styles and backgrounds together in this pioneering performance. Still relatively unknown in the Netherlands, these choreographers are set to leave an indelible mark on the Dutch dance scene.

Origin | 25 May | De Meervaart Theatre

Jardin Rouge Festival

For: the cabaret connoisseur

A cultural ‘free haven’ for artists, Ruigoord will host Jardin Rouge, a two-day multidisciplinary festival featuring theatre, dance, puppetry, clowning, mime, music, and cabaret. Nestled in a leafy estate just a half hour’s drive from Amsterdam Central Station, Ruigoord beckons as a safe space for creatives and artists to share their craft.

Jardin Rouge Festival | 19–20 May | Ruigoord