Pierre Audi
In Three Acts
Art
Synopsis
Three Acts
Opera as an artform can be approached from various angles – the music, the singers, the stage design. Then there is the story, the emotion, the ideas. How does one combine these elements into an event which opens the door to fantasy and dreams?
In Three Acts, world-renowned opera director Pierre Audi gives us a glimpse behind the scenes. As we watch him prepare for a rendition of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra in Tokyo (with stage design by visual artist Anish Kapoor), he shares his vision for the genre. According to Audi, the dramatic world on stage can bring us more in touch with contemporary issues than reading the news ever could. In the theatre you offer hope, he says. ‘You help people find a connection with themselves.’
Credits
- Character
- Pierre Audi
- Director
- Marjoleine Boonstra
- Country
- The Netherlands / Japan
- Duration
- 16 min
- Year
- 2024
- Co-producer
- Een van de Jongens
With over eighty stage productions to his name, Pierre Audi was one of the most influential voices in contemporary opera.
Pierre Audi
The influence of director Pierre Audi (1957-2025) on contemporary opera can hardly be overstated, having directed more than eighty stage productions and reinterpreted existing works in often fresh, innovative, and adventurous ways. Born in Beirut, Audi started his career in Oxford and London before moving to Amsterdam in 1988 to become artistic director of the Dutch National Opera, a position he held for thirty years.
He devoted his career to leading opera into modernity. Audi was known for experimenting with form, and using minimalist and abstract decors in which the music and poetry were allowed to unfold. A true ambassador of the artform, he made it his mission to ensure opera remains relevant today. And never failed to emphasise that opera is for everyone.
Acclaims
- Director of more than eighty operas
- Director of Festival d’Aix-en-Provence (2019-2025)
- Former artistic director of the Dutch National Opera (1988-2018), Holland Festival (2005-2014) and Almeida Theatre London (1979-1989)
- SCREENINGS & REACH
Director
Marjoleine Boonstra
Marjoleine Boonstra is a Dutch director and D.O.P with over 25 years of experience. Her documentaries always revolve around the theme: what keeps mankind alive. Her documentaries are screened at film festivals all over the world and have been awarded many times. She combines a poetic visual approach with a compassionate view on the world, which make her documentaries striking and touching.