Amsterdam Culture

Amsterdam Culture

Amsterdam with it's vibrant and varied cultural scene has over the last few decades blossomed, thanks to a renewed interest in Dutch culture and lifestyle and everything Dutch.

Amsterdam is a musical city, offering a range of musical styles from street performers and carillons to the more highbrow midday and evening performances in the Concertgebouw (Concert Hall), Concertgebouwplein. for information; visit www.concertgebouw.nl), which is noted for its superb acoustics. On most summer evenings, it is possible for punters to attend an organ concert or a recital of Baroque chamber music in one of Amsterdam’s magnificent old churches, such as Oude Kerk and Nieuwe Kerk.

Amsterdam stages around 15,000 performances every year (roughly 40 a day), although there is a more concentrated cultural season lasting from September to the end of June. Shows do not cost a fortune and a relaxed dress code means that even the opera can be attended in fairly casual clothes.

Tickets to cultural events can be booked through AUB, Leidseplein 26, open 0900–2100 (tel: (0900) 0191, for €0.40 per minute; website: www.aub.nl). AUB only accepts payment by credit card. Online listings for cultural events (website: www.whatsonwhen.com and www.timeout.com) are updated regularly.

Music: The Concertgebouw, Concertgebouwplein 2–6 (tel: (020) 671 8345, for reservations or 675 4411, for information; website: www.concertgebouw.nl), is not only home to the world-famous Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (website: www.concertgebouworkest.nl) conducted by Riccardo Chailly but also plays host to visiting companies and international soloists. Free concerts take place in either the Grote Zaal (Great Hall) or Kleine Zaal (Recital Hall) of the Concertgebouw, on Wednesday 1230–1300.

The Beurs de Berlage, Damrak 62a (tel: (020) 530 4141; fax: (020) 620 4701; website: www.beursvanberlage.net), is an architecturally fascinating building, where the 140-member Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra (website: www.orkest.nl) is based. The Netherlands Chamber Orchestra (website: www.orkest.nl) and guest artists tend to perform in the building’s ‘glass box’, the Aga Zaal. The Boekmanzaal is part of the Muziektheater (Opera House), Amstel 3 (tel: (020) 551 8911; fax: (020) 551 8025), home of Netherlands Opera (website: www.dno.nl). It holds a free lunchtime concert at 1230–1300 on Tuesday (October to June), often performed by members of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, the Choir of the Netherlands Opera (website: www.dno.nl) and the Netherlands Ballet Orchestra. This building hosted the Royal wedding in 2002.

Less formal concerts are performed by four of the city’s 17th-century carillons, on a weekly basis. Bell ringing takes place on Tuesday 1200–1300 at Westertoren (Western Tower), Thursday at Zuidertoren (Southern Tower) and Friday at Munttoren. The bell ringer at Oude Kerkstoren (Old Church Tower) gets to sleep in – concerts are Saturday 1600–1700.

Theatre: Some international fringe theatre companies perform in English and the Stadsschouwburg (Municipal Theatre), Leidseplein 26 (tel: (020) 624 2311; fax: (020) 623 8685; website: www.stadsschouwburgamsterdam.nl), often stages English-language theatre productions, as well as dance performances. Musicals and cabaret find a home in the Koninklijk Theater Carré (Royal Carré Theatre), Amstel 115–125 (tel: (020) 353 5355; fax: (020) 624 8499; website: www.theatercarre.nl), situated on the River Amstel, and in the nearby Kleine Komedie, Amstel 56–58 (tel: (020) 624 0534 (tickets) or 626 5917 (information); e-mail: algemeen@dekleinekomedie.nl; website: www.dekleinekomedie.nl), a charming little theatre dating back to 1788.

Dance: The Dutch National Ballet (website: www.het-nationale-ballet.nl) is considered one of the best and most versatile companies in Western Europe. Its many devotees flock to the Muziektheater (Opera House), Amstel 3 (tel: (020) 551 8911; fax: (020) 551 8025), a 1600-seat coliseum overlooking the Amstel River, to see the great classical ballets as well as works by 20th-century dance innovators. The Muziektheater also plays host to the Netherlands Dance Theatre (website: www.ndt.nl), Holland’s other world-class ballet company, as well as foreign companies. Situated on a curve of the Amstel, in the heart of the city, this latest cultural landmark is, despite its size, amazingly intimate. The venue is closed in July.

Films/ Cinema: All movies shown in Amsterdam are shown in their original format so all hollywood movies are in English with Dutch subtitles. There are several multi-screen cinemas located right in the centre of the city Visit Pathe.nl for a list of the movies being shown by the Pathe group.

Amsterdam is also known for its arty cinemas, Check out the amazing and recently renovated Tuschinski, Reguliersbreestraat 26–28 which shows films from all over the world.

The Amsterdam Film Museum in Vondle park shows old classics nightly all in their original format (ie English films in English and so on). Visit http://www.filmmuseum.nl for the listings.

Over the years many films have been shot on location in Amsterdam, recently we had Oceans Eleven with a huge cast of the top hollywood stars others include Mike van Diem’s Karakter (1997), Dick Maas’s Amsterdamned (1987) and the Bond film, Diamonds are Forever (1971).

Cultural events: Every 29th / 30 April, Amsterdam turns orange and throws a huge street party to celebrate The Queen’s Birthday and the city goes crazy.

Other events on water include outdoor productions staged on the River Amstel. Every June, the month-long Holland Festival, featuring music, dance and drama, takes place. Tickets can be booked in advance through tourist offices but some same-day sale tickets are always held at the Musiektheater box office. In August, concerts are performed on boats ringing the Prinsengracht canal. All summer long there are regular cultural events in Vondelpark.

Literary Notes.

A number of novels have been written and based in Amsterdam.

Ian McEwan won the 1998 Booker Prize for his Amsterdam (1998), which is partly set in the city.

The city also provided the inspiration for part of John Irving’s novel, A Widow for One Year (1999), and Sidney Sheldon’s If Tomorrow Comes (1986). Albert Camus wrote La Chute (1970) while based here. More recently, Deborah Moggach’s Tulip Fever (1998) depicted life in 16th-century Amsterdam. The city has played a prominent role in the works of Dutch authors – two well-known books that have been translated into English include Blue Mondays (1994) by Arnon Grunberg and Bitter Herbs (1957) by Marga Minco. The unique ambience of Amsterdam permeates the work of Nicolas Freeling, in his detective novel, A Long Silence (1972). Perhaps the most famous work to come out of Amsterdam, however, is The Diary of Anne Frank (1947). Marga Minco’s Empty House (1986) might be less famous but it explores some of the same issues. A lighter work is Janwillem van de Wetering’s Amsterdam Cops (2001), a collection of cop stories that are mainly set in the capital’s underworld. Geert Mak’s Amsterdam: A Brief Life (2001) is ostensibly a guide to the city but its historical depth and highly personalised detail make it an interesting read for repeat visitors wanting to delve further under Amsterdam’s skin.