A little archive of applause
I thought it would be fun to log all the live shows I've attended across opera, ballet, musicals, stage plays, talks, and concerts of both classical and modern eras, so... why not? :-)
I take a lot of the set lists (and accordingly, the duration of the set) from setlist.fm -- or from the programme from each show's respective webpage.
When I have covered the costs of a ticket for someone, I save the ticket price for both, so I have more legitimate analytics for myself.
Amsterdam-based. Opera and ballet at Dutch National Opera & Ballet, classical concerts at het Concertgebouw, live music everywhere from Bitterzoet to the ArenA. Presence matters more than prestige — a performer actually in the room, a voice that does something unexpected.
In opera: Donizetti, Puccini, Verdi — strong soprano leads preferred (think Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda, Carmen, Turandot, Tosca). Contemporary opera works; baroque and long Wagner mostly don't. Ballet: the full Petipa repertoire, plus anything from DNO's in-house company with a real choreographic idea. In classical music, piano concertos and recitals over symphonic spectacle — Yuja Wang, Hiromi, a world premiere in a small hall.
Live music: Lisa Hannigan and Jensen McRae at Bitterzoet, Beyoncé at the ArenA, Kendrick Lamar, Tame Impala, Norah Jones — wide range, but whether the artist actually talks to the room matters. Same goes for stand-up: Nish Kumar, Tim Key, Michelle Buteau, Seth Meyers — comics who have something to say. Talks too: Timothy Snyder, Oksana Zabuzhko, panels on nuclear security and AI warfare. Recommend anything with a speaker who has skin in the game.
Wondering what I want to see next? Browse the wishlist →