The Ibsen Artist in Residence

The Ibsen Artist in Residence honours the name of one of the world’s greatest and most influential dramatists.

Henrik Ibsen

The Ibsen Artist in Residence honours the name of one of the world’s greatest and most influential dramatists.  It is awarded by Internationaal Theater Amsterdam (if the International Ibsen Fellowship is not awarded) to an experienced Theatre Director who is already emerging as a world talent in the field.  The Ibsen Artist in Residence gives an opportunity to be embedded in the ITA under the close mentorship of Ivo van Hove, enabling the Fellow to work with the theatre ensemble, and to make two mainstream productions on the Company’s main stage.

Internationaal Theater Amsterdam

Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam and Toneelgroep Amsterdam merged on 1 January 2018, and from the 18|19 season onwards the organisation operates under the name Internationaal Theater Amsterdam (ITA). The company acts as a beacon for contemporary theatre and caters to audiences from Amsterdam and around the world, leading the way at the national and international levels. ITA produces a high-quality programme with 600 pluriform national and international theatre and dance performances every year, and social programmes that appeal to a wide range of audiences, bringing them new ways of understanding and seeing the world.

ITA is one of the leading lights in Dutch theatre, with a large ensemble of world famous actors and a pioneering team of directors. Performances are held by the ITA-ensemble not only at the Amsterdam venue, but also at around 100 other venues around the world. The new theatre is also a major Talent Center focusing on education, development and collaboration. At ITA, tradition and innovation go hand in hand. They are the pillars of a company that is constantly in motion and presents itself explicitly at the heart of Amsterdam, at Leidseplein.

With an average of 350 performances and 20 productions each season of the ensemble, ITA is a leading and innovative repertory company of international renown, led by Ivo van Hove.  Since he was appointed in 2001, he has paved the way for an urban company with international allure by creating a series of sensational shows and by attracting different directors from the Netherlands, as well as from other countries. The core of the company consists of 22 quality actors, making it possible to keep shows in their repertoire. Together with designer Jan Versweyveld, he breaks through the restrictions of the large theatre, and steps out of the frame if the performance calls for it. The playhouse as a location where the natural distance between actor and audience is removed and the relationship between fiction and reality is defined in a new way. 

ITA produces reinterpretations of classic repertoire, new texts and crossovers with music, video and design. By frequently teaming up with other companies, such Toneelhuis, artistic cross connections are created. Apart from Ivo van Hove, ITA also works with prominent guest directors from various countries, such as Katie Michell, Luk Perceval, Simon Stone, Guy Cassiers, Sam Gold, Robert Icke, Thomas Ostermeier and Simon McBurney. What connects these internationally renowned directors is their belief that theatre is essential within a society that is more disparate and diverse than ever. They all share a concern about the place of man in this continually changing society. Well-known productions are e.g. Angels in America, Roman Tragedies, The Fountainhead and Kings of war. ITA Productions have toured to France, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, South Korea, United Kingdom, United States, Austria, Luxembourg, Italy, Spain, Russia, Argentina, Poland, Turkey, China, Lithuania, Switzerland, Taiwan, Brazil, Croatia, Australia, Chile, Ireland & Japan

Fellows

Eline Arbo

Eline Arbo (1986) was born in Tromsø, Norway. After receiving her diploma in Theatre science at the University of Oslo, Arbo moved to Amsterdam where she graduated as a Stage director at the Academy of Theatre and Dance in 2016. Since her graduation Arbo has directed several performances in both Norway and The Netherlands, characterized by strong adaptations of classical repertoire and novels, as well as an emphasis on live music.

She debuted in The Netherlands with Goethe’s classic Het lijden van de jonge Werther at Toneelschuur Producties, which earned her the BNG Bank Theaterprijs 2018 as well as the Toneelkijkersprijs 2018 in The Hague. Her own adaptation of Hærmennene på Helgeland by Henrik Ibsen premiered at the Ibsen Festival 2019 at Nationaltheatret in Oslo, and was invited to perform as a guest performance at the Frankfurt Schauspielhaus. She also directed several performances at Noord Nederlands Toneel, including Roland Schimmelpfennig’s Zwart Water, which successfully toured the Netherlands in 2019. 

In 2020 Arbo adapted and directed the novel Weg met Eddy Bellegueule by Édouard Louis, for which she won the Regieprijs 2020. The performance was awarded best performance of the season 2019/2020, and again won her the Toneelkijkersprijs 2020 in The Hague. The four actors in the performance were all nominated for the award of Best male main character, the Louis d’Or, at the Theater Festival in The Netherlands. In januari 2021 Arbo won the prestigious Mary Dresselhuys price in The Netherlands. In the fall of 2021 Arbo’s own adaptation of Michael Cunningham’s Pulitzer Price winning novel The Hours premiered at the International Theater Amsterdam. Her adaptation of Yerma by Frederico García Lorca, starring Mariana Aparicio in the main role,  premiered in November 2021 at The National Theatre in The Hauge.  From 2022 Arbo is Associate Artistic Director at International Theatre Amsterdam.

From September 2023 Eline Arbo became Artistic Director of Internationaal Theater Amsterdam after Ivo van Hove stood down.
www.elinearbo.com

2023-2024

Robert Icke

Robert Icke is a writer and director. He is currently Artist in Residence at International Theatre Amsterdam supported by the Philip Loubser Foundation, where his work includes Oedipus (2018) and After Nora (2020). In 2018, he made his debut in Germany with Orestie (Schauspiel Stuttgart) for which he was awarded the Kurt-Hübner-Regiepreis.

He was the Associate Director of the Almeida from 2013-19, where his work included adapting and directing The Doctor (planned for the West End), The Wild Duck, Mary Stuart (also West End and national tour), Uncle Vanya, Oresteia (also West End) and 1984 (co-created with Duncan Macmillan, also Broadway, West End, national and international tours). His other productions as director include Hamlet (also West End and screened on BBC2), The Fever and the European premiere of Mr Burns. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, has won the UK Theatre, the Critics’ Circle and (on two occasions) the Evening Standard Awards for Best Director, and is the youngest ever winner of the Olivier Award for Best Director.

2020-2022

RBS NADIA NERINA SCHOLARSHIP

Current Incumbent:
Javier Cubillas Izaguirre

ITA INTERNATIONAL IBSEN FELLOWSHIP

Current Incumbent:

ENO MACKERRAS CONDUCTING FELLOWSHIP

Current Incumbent:

GLENN GOULD BACH FELLOWSHIP

Current Incumbent:

RCM BENJAMIN BRITTEN PIANO FELLOWSHIP

Current Incumbent:

Thomas Kelly

THE IBSEN ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

Current Incumbent:
Eline Arbo