Prestigious FEDORA nominates Dutch Chamber Choir in the Opera category.

We are happy. And a bit proud too. On Saturday, the prestigious FEDORA announced in Paris that our new production Between Two Lights has been nominated for their biennial award in the category Opera. This new production by the Dutch Chamber Choir, composed by Chinese composer Huang Ruo, will have its world premiere in May 2025, in co-production with, among others, Muziektheater Transparant. FEDORA promotes innovation in the arts and awards grants and prizes in Dance, Opera, Education, and Digital. The jury varies by category and consists of prominent figures from their respective fields. For Opera, these include Pierre Audi (Festival d'Aix-en-Provence), Karen Stone (Opera Europa), and Alexander Neef (Opéra National de Paris). The winners will be announced in March 2025.

The jury praises the fact that Between Two Lights aims to address the taboo surrounding death. Huang Ruo: “Between Two Lights is a passage enabling both the dead and the living to travel in between. It’s about dimming the light of one’s heart and mind in order to search for the next light. Vocal theatre Between Two Lights is a ritual, a requiem, and a lullaby.”

We need help to secure this coveted prize and to make Between Two Lights even more powerful. For this, we are launching a crowdfunding campaign in collaboration with FEDORA. We hope to raise €5,000, which FEDORA will match. Every contribution is important and comes with exclusive privileges! Will you join us?

Discover more & donate

Between Two Lights

Between Two Lights aims to make death tangible through dance, light, and music. With staging by the Flemish director Aïda Gabriëls and artistic director Tido Visser, this new work by Huang Ruo resembles more of an installation than a concert, and more of a ritual than a drama. The piece for choir, percussion, and dancer is based on recent events in Huang Ruo's life. When his mother passed away not long ago, Huang Ruo, who lives in the United States, returned to China for a seven-week ceremony. During this period, he realized he had become estranged from his Chinese past and became fascinated by the way death is perceived in China—as a moment of emptiness, but also as a transition.

Between Two Lights

Collaboration and Award

Between Two Lights is a co-production of the Netherlands Chamber Choir and Muziektheater Transparant (BE) in collaboration with HERMESensemble, Needcompany, De Singel Antwerp, and Concertgebouw Brugge. The world premiere will take place on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at the Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ. As part of the nomination, there is an opportunity to launch a crowdfunding campaign via FEDORA’s platform. In March 2025, FEDORA will announce the award winners in the categories of dance, opera, education, and digital, each receiving an amount of EUR 100,000.