Holland Festival Proms - Dark Play

The chandelier falls, and smithereens are scattered across the floor. The Indonesian artist Jompet Kuswidananto has created an opera installation especially for the Proms and the Recital Hall of The Concertgebouw with its imposing chandelier. He was inspired by the falling chandelier scene in The Phantom of the Opera. Videos show newly recorded songs about the obstruction, sabotage and censorship that art and artists have had to endure over the years, particularly in countries where freedom of speech is under threat. Kuswidananto has previously exhibited work at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, the Taipei Biennial, and the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam. His work is about a changing world and the role of art in this.

From the brothers Lucas and Arthur Jussen playing Karlheinz Stockhausen to an opera-installation by the Indonesian artist Jompet Kuswidananto. The day is being hosted by comedian and television presenter Klaas van der Eerden. In the intermissions there will be performances by conservatory students, as well as short introductions to the concerts. For only ten euros per concert – or less for those who buy a day pass – you can hear the latest and most adventurous music from around the world. There’s an afterparty that night for everyone who can’t get enough of it.

For a whole day, from noon until late at night, there will be a vibrant mini-festival in The Concertgebouw. The Holland Festival Proms consists of five concerts and an installation. From a concert with virtual reality to the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, and the swinging music of The Nile Project.

folk from strictly Islamic Aceh, to modern  Indonesian composers. 

We show collaborations which transcend boundaries from artists from different corners of the archipelago. Rahayu Suppangah wrote the music for Setan Jawa, a new silent dance film by Garin Nugroho. Indonesian composers and musicians work with Ensemble Modern from Frankfurt in Ruang Suara. We are presenting A Night in Indonesia in Paradiso, with the latest music from the Indonesian underground, including the EDM duo Filastine & Nova Ruth and Senyawa’s acoustic metal. At the Holland Festival Proms the visual artist Jompet Kuswidananto is presenting an opera installation about censorship in art. The audience can also enter the Temple of Time by the Indonesian-Dutch composer Sinta Wullur. The context programming explores topics such as Javanese mysticism and joint Dutch and Indonesian historiography. 

Discover the sound of modern Indonesia.

Following the focus on Turkey and its neighbouring countries (2015) and on the Edges of Europe (2016), this year’s special focus is on music from Indonesia. In the islands, many styles and genres exist next to each other in a fascinating way. We present a selection of contemporary work: noise from the streets of Yogyakarta and