Amandante, a chamber opera by Ukrainian‑Dutch composer Maxim Shalygin, is inspired by Plato’s Symposium, exploring love in all its forms — from physical to spiritual. The libretto, by Paul van der Woerd, combines the original text with Percy Bysshe Shelley’s romantic translation, emphasizing emotional contrasts.
The opera features four singers and six instrumentalists, with a fully sung score of long melodic lines, polyphony, and moments of humor, virtuosity, and introspection. It gives voice not only to Plato’s speakers — Socrates, Aristophanes, Agathon — but also to those silent in the dialogue, creating rich dramatic tension.
Premiere: October 2024, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, Amsterdam
Tour: 2025 concert version, culminating in a Kyiv performance at the National Philharmonic of Ukraine
Praised by NRC Handelsblad as “a rollercoaster of emotions and a triumph of musical imagination,” Amandante was listed among the top 10 musical events of 2024.