Archive 1986

In 1986 the Holland Festival devoted considerable attention to French art in all its richness. One of the highlights of the French programme was undoubtedly the eight-hour production L’Histoire terrible mais inachevée de Norodom Sihanouk Roi du Cambodge by Ariane Mnouchkine’s renowned Théâtre du Soleil. There was also fashion by Sonia Delaunay, dance by Maguy Marin, French brass music, and the only all-female circus in the world: Femmes de Cirque.

Luciano Berio conducted his La Vera Storia, based on a text by author Italo Calvino, who had died the previous year. Over five evenings, music from Turkey to Malaysia was presented under the title From the World of Islam. Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail, in a ‘controversial’ direction by Ruth Berghaus, left neither audiences nor critics unmoved. Stripped of all customary decoration and set in a bare white box, the focus lay entirely on singing and libretto.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Holland Festival archive! The history of our festival dates back to 1947. Through the programs of each festival edition we aim to tell this history here. Currently our archive has been digitised from 1990 onwards, more history is to follow soon. Sadly some information is only available in Dutch but we aim to be as bilingual as possible. For additions or tips send an email to [email protected].