German artist Michael Najjar (b. Landau, 1966) is fascinated by scenarios for the future of mankind. In his large-format photographs and video works, he creates a simultaneously exciting and disturbing picture of human beings as artificial, technological beings. Najjar can be regarded as a pioneer in the digital manipulation of photographic images. He himself calls his work 'hybrid photography': a new visual idiom created by the marriage of analogue and digital technology.

Based on ideals of beauty derived from Ancient Greece and the Italian Renaissance, the artist has constructed a new image of mankind that is refined and ethereal, transcending everyday reality.

Michael Najjar's creative process is based on current scientific ideas in the field of genetic engineering. He uses these to visualise new visual worlds in which fact, fiction and pure fantasy tumble and interweave. The resulting images can be chilling representations, fascinating interpretations or entertainingly imaginative guesswork. The current exhibition entitled Michael Najjar Augmented Realities 1997-2008 includes eight series, all dating from the 1997-2008 period. The earliest is entitled ¡viva fidel! - journey into absurdity and could easily be taken for a traditional black-and-white photo-documentary on Cuba. However, the digital manipulation that permeates the images casts doubt on the truth of the photographic account.

Osvaldo Golijov (b.1960) : Last Round (1996)

Osvaldo Golijov: Dreams & Prayers of Isaac the Blind (1994)

Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983):Concerto for Strings op. 33 (1965)

Osvaldo Golijov: Youth without Youth Suite (2007)

Amsterdam Sinfonietta

Accessible instrumental music from two modern Argentinean composers, from a homage to Piazzolla to a religiously-tinted string quartet.

Westergasfabriek Zuiveringshal West
Amsterdam

Louis Andriessen (b. 1939): La Commedia

Filmopera in five parts
Texts by Dante, Vondel and others, and from the Old Testament

Louis Andriessen’s latest music-theatre work, a collaboration with film director Hal Hartley, is based principally on Dante’s Divina Commedia

Beatrice, Claron McFadden  
Dante, Cristina Zavalloni 
Lucifer, Jeroen Willems 
Marcel Beekman  
   
Asko Ensemble 
Schönberg Ensemble 
Synergy Vocals 
Reinbert de Leeuw, conductor
Hal Hartley, director
Sets: Paul Clay 
Costumes: Robby Duiveman 
Lighting: Scott Zielinski 
Electronic sound samples: Anke Brouwer

Olivier Messiaen: Saint François d’Assise

Ingo Metzmacher, conductor
Pierre Audi, director 
Sets and Lighting: Jean Kalman
Costumes: Angelo Figus

Orchesrta and Chrous of De Nederlandse Opera

Cast:
Camilla Tilling (L’Ange) Rodney Gilfry (Saint François) Hubert Delamboye (Le Lépreux) Henk Neven (Frère Léon) Tom Randle (Frère Massée) Donald Kaasch (Frère Élie) Armand Arapian (Frère Bernard) Jan Willem Baljet (Frère Sylvestre) André Morsch (Frère Rufin)

The opera’s key scenes are the Appearance of the Angel, the Healing of the Leper and the Sermon to the Birds.