Sinfonia Rotterdam: Christmas with PerPoc giant puppets

Sinfonia Rotterdam joins forces with PerPoc Puppet Theatre for a Christmas concert where classical music, theatre and giant puppets share the stage.

Conducted by Conrad van Alphen, the orchestra performs three colourful works built around rhythm, storytelling and theatrical drama. Ravel’s Boléro grows from its famous repeated rhythm into an increasingly powerful crescendo, while Richard Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche follows the mischievous adventures of its title character. Stravinsky’s Petrushka tells the story of three puppets brought to life through energetic and sharply contrasting orchestral music.

PerPoc brings the stories into the concert hall with large-scale theatrical puppets, joined by stage performers from Codarts and the Royal Conservatoire. The production is designed as a family performance, using visual theatre to introduce younger audiences to major orchestral works while still offering a full classical concert programme.

Details

Event: Sinfonia Rotterdam: Christmas with PerPoc giant puppets
Date: Tuesday 22 December 2026
Start: 19:30
Location: Grote Zaal, de Doelen, Rotterdam
Tickets: €16 to €59, including service costs
Genre: Classical music, family concert and puppet theatre
Orchestra: Sinfonia Rotterdam
Conductor: Conrad van Alphen
Visual theatre: PerPoc Puppet Theatre
Additional performers: Students from Codarts and the Royal Conservatoire
Programme: Ravel, Boléro; Richard Strauss, Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche; Stravinsky, Petrushka