“Even a bike can fly, if you want it to”
Catchy music and cardboard sets that open ingeniously, and fold back up even more cleverly. In November 2022, theatre-maker Steef de Jong premiered his most ambitious operetta to date: Operetta Land. This October, he once again steps into the role of the “Inventor” – a part that suits him perfectly, both on and off the stage.
What appeals to you so much about operetta?
“The genre sits somewhere in between everything; it’s incredibly versatile. Sometimes it’s almost opera, sometimes it’s close to musical theatre, sometimes it even feels like pop or contemporary music. When I need a song for a new production, I pick an operetta record from my LP collection and listen until something sparks an idea. I love it when I hear a piece and think: this could be a singer-songwriter song, or this sounds like jazz – even though it’s actually from the 19th century.”
How do you translate your love for a 19th-century art form into a performance for today’s audiences?
“I always try to make the story mean something in our time. Operetta Land, for instance, is not just funny and romantic; it also explores questions like ‘Who are you?’ and ‘What do you stand for?’. To give a new operetta that lightness and humour, I felt the text really needed to sound modern, with short, punchy, and witty dialogues. And for that, you need someone who’s brilliant at it – and of course, that was Paulien Cornelisse.”
You also had to hand over parts of the set and costume design to others. How was that?
“It was a bit daunting, because I usually make them myself and keep changing things along the way. This time, I had to plan everything in advance. But it was amazing to see someone turn your sketches into actual set pieces or costumes. And the possibilities were endless, with so many people involved and such a big stage! Of course, that scale brought challenges too, like cardboard bending under its own weight. But there was always someone with a clever solution.”
How did you experience the performances?
“They were fantastic. Just being surrounded by such an orchestra and so many talented singers. I’m not an opera singer myself, of course, but I thought: I’m not letting this opportunity pass me by. And what I’ll never forget is how happy the audience was. You could feel entire families being swept up in the performance. That was an incredible feeling.”
What message do you hope audiences take away from the show?
“At its heart, Operetta Land is about the power of imagination. In theatre, where you can create anything you dream of, but also in everyday life. Using your imagination helps you empathise with others. Or you can project your imagination onto someone you dislike and turn them into a nicer person in your mind, which makes it easier to treat them kindly. Of course, you can’t live entirely in your imagination. I keep my feet firmly on the ground too – I’m not always in Operetta Land, because that would be exhausting. But visiting every now and then is wonderful!”
Text: Lune Visser
Operetta Land will run from 5 to 23 October at Dutch National Opera & Ballet.