Resonanz

English 
Meet RESONANZ: where classical musical and urban culture connect 
 
Opera, urban dance, theatre, live music and urban sports come together to create something new. 

That is Resonanz. We bring classical culture to the streets and street culture to the stage. In doing so, we create space for new makers, new audiences and new energy in the Dutch-German border region. 

Resonanz officially launched on 1 June 2026. At its core are five partners: Maaspoort, D’Haus Junges Schauspiel, Nieuwe Helden Next Level, House of Movement and Viva Classic Live. Together, we are building one shared space for creation. Not a project driven by a single organisation, but a living cross-border cultural network. 

Resonanz, Where makers move borders and futures take shape 

Pillar 1: Talent development 

Resonanz gives emerging makers the space to develop further. They gain access to coaching, masterclasses, international exchange, practical experience and professional stages. There is also a strong focus on talent that does not automatically find its way into existing theatre or education pathways. 

One of the first programmes is the Viva Classic Vocal Contest, with a semi-final taking place at Deutsche Oper am Rhein and the final with orchestra at Domani Venlo. New programmes are also being developed for urban makers, choreographers, performers and creative professionals who want to deepen their practice. 

Pillar 2: Co-creation and experimentation 

Resonanz is not only about performing, but above all about creating together. Open Spaces are being established in four cities: accessible places where makers can rehearse, experiment, fail, start again and meet one another.  

Cross-over labs are another important part of the programme. Here, makers from different worlds work together on new material. Think opera combined 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. 

In the first project year, Urban meets Opera takes centre stage. The flagship production 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. The premiere takes place on 26 September 2026 in Düsseldorf. In May 2027, the production goes to Venlo. 

In the second project year, Opera meets Urban, the programme moves beyond the theatre. Through a tour of indoor and outdoor skateparks across the border region, emerging classical vocal talent and urban crews become active participants 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 it, 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 creating, but also about telling stories, sharing and passing things on. The stories, makers and artistic developments within the programme are translated into contemporary forms of storytelling, including video formats, online platforms and new narrative forms. 

Resonanz also invests in knowledge sharing and network building. Through meetings, symposia and exchange between makers, cultural institutions, urban communities, education and social partners, the knowledge gained is actively shared. In this way, the impact of Resonanz can continue to resonate throughout the border region even after the programme has ended. 

“Cross-pollination creates a new cultural language that connects makers, institutions and audiences.” Leon Thommassen, Managing Director, Maaspoort 

The makers behind Resonanz 

Resonanz exists because five core partners from Limburg and North Rhine-Westphalia found one another. Not in a meeting room, but in practice: on stages and in rehearsal rooms on both sides of the border. 

Maaspoort is the lead partner and driving force. Venlo’s cultural venue believes in one thing: here, it can happen. That conviction drives Resonanz. Maaspoort opens doors, connects the partners and ensures that makers are given the space they need to truly take risks. 

D’Haus Junges Schauspiel Düsseldorf knows better than most how to create theatre for a new generation of audiences. With its experience in theatre for young audiences, social themes and interdisciplinary projects, it brings a strong theatrical foundation to Resonanz. 

House of Movement from Mönchengladbach is deeply rooted in the urban dance scene. Through battles, training sessions, community events and talent development, it knows exactly where new talent is emerging and what young makers need to take their next steps. 

Nieuwe Helden Next Level from Roermond works with young people and emerging makers on theatre and participation projects that are closely connected to society. It brings links to young communities, stories from the region and makers who do not always reach the stage through conventional routes. 

Viva Classic Live from Venlo takes classical music beyond the concert hall and puts emerging vocal talent in the spotlight. Founder Sef Thissen sums up the ambition: “Opera does not belong only in theatres. With Resonanz, we bring art to the streets and show how classical and urban culture can give each other wings.” 

Around these five core partners is 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 contribute additional knowledge, stages, networks and development opportunities. From urban sports to opera, from talent development to international exchange. This is how Resonanz grows not as a single project belonging to one organisation, but as a movement of partners who collectively create space for young makers, new forms and audiences on both sides of the border. 

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

Interested? Have an idea or see a connection? Email Sikko Cleveringa, project manager of Resonanz, at s.cleveringa@maaspoort.nl. He will be happy to explore the possibilities.