Resonanz

What happens when opera, urban dance, theatre, live music, breaking and urban sports not only meet, but create something new together?

That is RESONANZ. A three-year cultural programme in which young makers, performers, cultural institutions and communities from Limburg and North Rhine-Westphalia work together on new performances, talent development and exchange across the border.

On 1 June 2026, Resonanz will officially start. Young creators will be given room to grow, research, cooperate and show their work to audiences on both sides of the border. This creates a network in which talent does not have to leave to progress, but can emerge, land and continue to grow here.

Pillar 1: Talent development

RESONANZ gives young creators space to develop further. They get access to coaching, master classes, international exchange, practical experience and professional stages. This includes a lot of attention to talent that does not naturally fit within the existing theatre or training routes.

One of the first routes is the Viva Classic Vocal Contest 2026, with the semi-final on 22 June at Deutsche Oper am Rhein and the final with orchestra on 30 August in Domani Venlo. In addition, new pathways are emerging for urban makers, choreographers, performers and creative professionals who want to deepen their practice.

Pillar 2: Co-creation and experimentation

In RESONANZ, it is not just about performing, but above all about making together. Open Spaces are being created in four cities: accessible places where makers can rehearse, try, fail, start again and meet each other. At Maaspoort, this ties in with the further development of BACKSTAGE.

In addition, crossover labs are an important part of the programme. Here, makers from different worlds work together on new material. Think opera with urban dance, theatre with breaking or live music with urban sports. The results are presented to audiences on both sides of the border.

Pillar 3: Major productions

The development within Resonanz culminates in three major cross-border co-productions.

The first project year focuses on Urban meets Opera. The flagship is Samurai X, inspired by Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai. The performance brings together urban dance, martial arts, live music and opera in a large-scale theatrical production under the artistic direction of Takao Baba and Mischa Tangian. It will premiere on 26 September 2026 in Düsseldorf. In May 2027, the performance will come to Venlo.

In the second project year, Opera meets Urban, the programme moves outside the theatre. With a tour of indoor and outdoor skateparks in the border region, classical singing talent and urban crews are actively involved in the production.

In the third project year, Urban Opera emerges: a new hybrid form that builds on three years of research, encounters and collaboration. With this, Resonanz aims to reach new audiences, from urban communities to lovers of classical performing arts.

Pillar 4: Storytelling and knowledge sharing

Resonanz is not only about making, but also about telling, sharing and passing on. The stories, makers and artistic developments within the programme are translated into contemporary forms of storytelling, such as video formats, online platforms and new narrative forms.

In addition, Resonanz invests in knowledge sharing and networking. Through meetings, symposiums and exchanges between makers, cultural institutions, urban communities, education and social partners, the knowledge acquired is actively shared. In this way, the impact of Resonanz can also continue in the border region after the programme ends.

"Cross-pollination creates a new cultural language that connects creators, institutions and audiences." Leon Thommassen, director-director Maaspoort

The people behind Resonanz

Resonanz exists because five key partners from Limburg and North Rhine-Westphalia have come together. Not in a meeting room, but in practice, on stages and in rehearsal rooms on both sides of the border.

Maaspoort is the lead organiser and driving force. Venlo’s cultural centre believes in one thing: it can be done here. That conviction drives Resonanz forward. Maaspoort opens its doors, brings the parties together and ensures that creators are given the space they need to really take a chance.

D’Haus Junges Schauspiel Düsseldorf knows better than anyone how to create theatre for a new generation of audiences. With their experience in theatre for young audiences, social themes and interdisciplinary projects, they bring a solid theatrical foundation to Resonanz.

House of Movement from Mönchengladbach is at the heart of the urban dance scene. Through battles, training sessions, community events and talent development, they know exactly where new talent is emerging and what young creators need to continue to grow.

Nieuwe Helden Next Level from Roermond works with young people and emerging artists on theatre and participatory projects that are closely rooted in society. They forge links with young communities, bring stories from the region to the fore, and showcase artists who do not always find their way onto the stage via traditional channels.

Viva Classic Live from Venlo takes classical music out of the concert hall and puts young vocal talent in the spotlight. Founder Sef Thissen sums up the initiative: “Opera doesn’t just belong in theatres. With Resonanz, we’re bringing art onto the streets and showing that classical and urban music give each other wings.”

This is supported by a strong group of associate partners: Street Culture Venlo, Urbanatix, Theater de Oranjerie, Opera Zuid, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, tanzhaus nrw, Via Zuid and ZAV Künstlervermittlung Köln. Together, they provide additional expertise, venues, networks and development opportunities – ranging from urban sports to opera, and from talent development to international exchange. In this way, Resonanz emerges not as a single project run by a single organisation, but as a movement of partners who, together, create space for young creators, new forms of expression and audiences on both sides of the border.

Resonanz is made possible in part by the Interreg VI-A Germany-Netherlands programme, co-funded by the European Union, the Province of Limburg and the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Interested? Got an idea? See common ground? Email Sikko Cleveringa, Resonanz project leader, at s.cleveringa@maaspoort.nl. He’d be happy to discuss ideas with you.