Arlon Luijten
Arlon ontwikkelt theatrale speelvelden die de wereld binnen en buiten het theater overbruggen, en die elementen combineren uit opera, theater, amusement, mythologie, serious gaming, technologie, onderzoek en onderwijs.
Arlon ontwikkelt theatrale speelvelden die de wereld binnen en buiten het theater overbruggen, en die elementen combineren uit opera, theater, amusement, mythologie, serious gaming, technologie, onderzoek en onderwijs.
Arlon studied at the Toneelakademie Maastricht and received the Hustinx Prize upon graduation. Arlon develops theatrical playing fields that crossover the worlds inside and outside the theater, and that combine elements from opera, theater, entertainment, mythology, serious gaming, technology, research and education. He challenges the public, citizens, artists, entrepreneurs, scientists and government to collaborate. As a director, Arlon creates multiform and layered performances (music theater, opera, installations and events) that are conceptually constructed, and are also punctuated with great theatricality and spectacular show elements. In this way he puts the idiom from the so-called high and low culture to the test and challenges different target groups in their viewing behavior and experience.
His performances are always played with new compositions and live music by a surprising combination of performers. His work has been produced by ALBA Theaterhuis, KORZO, Operadagen Rotterdam, Holland Opera and Kameroperahuis. Between 2012-2016 Arlon developed the city opera ‘PARSIFAL, playingfields’ for the Operadagen Rotterdam, which included a game performance, made in collaboration with TU Delft, DRIFT (EUR) and various city partners.’PARSIFAL, playingfields’ received the ‘Mekel prize for responsible innovation’ from TU Delft. Since then, Arlon has explored interactivity and gamification as dramaturgical means of not only getting the audience to participate, but complicit in the artwork.
In 2018 he founded ‘Little Wotan’, a City laboratory in which he explores and further develops this work and this working method. Rotterdam is the home port for Little Wotan. Arlon works as a teacher at various bachelor’s and master’s programs (Codarts, Artez, Theater School Maastricht, Theater School Amsterdam). As a researcher, he is involved in the research group ‘Performance Practices – Hamel’ 2012-26. This research will be continued in “GAMPSISS”, a 4-year collaboration project (2017-2021) between Codarts, WDKA, TU Delft and Erasmus University. In this he researches and develops ‘Gamefull Music Performances for Smart, Inclusive and Sustainable Societies’. Arlon has been a Dutch member of the European Cultural Parliament since 2016. In this he works on new international collaborations.
