Ivo van Hove's THE FOUNTAINHEAD Makes U.S. Debut at BAM Tonight

Ivo van Hove's galvanizing production of The Fountainhead makes its US Premiere at BAM's Howard Gilman Opera House, running tonight, November 28, through December 2, 2017.

Ayn Rand's opposition to the Soviet Communism of her birthplace raised her political consciousness and her belief in the power of the individual and the virtues of self-reliance. Her novel The Fountainhead-widely read and both philosophically and politically polarizing-tells the story of a brilliant architect, Howard Roark, who refuses to compromise his creative vision. Pitted against colleagues who cave to popular and corporate interests, he pursues a relentless quest for individualism-which is tested when he falls in love with a kindred spirit, Dominique Francon.

Ivo van Hove and Toneelgroep Amsterdam's raw and layered reimagining of the novel has been garnering steady festival buzz and received its official world premiere at the Holland Festival in June 2014. Jan Versweyveld's open loft-like set reveals mobile drafting tables, blueprints, pulleys, and moving screens-allowing the set to shift and unfold before the audience's eyes. In line with the company's signature voyeuristic style, the egoism, power struggles, and bloody, carnal behavior are all captured via overhead cameras-projecting the action onto an enormous screen that towers over center stage.

Jan Versweyveld has been the in-house designer for Toneelgroep Amsterdam since 2001. He is head of scenography and is responsible for the organization's graphic design elements. Since 2005, Versweyveld has also served as their house photographer. He was a guest lecturer at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie and co-founded the scenography studies program in Antwerp. He has designed scenery and lighting for a wide variety of theater productions.

IF YOU GO:

THE FOUNTAINHEAD

Based on the book by Ayn Rand
Toneelgroep Amsterdam
Directed by Ivo van Hove
Translation by Erica van Rijsewijk, Jan van Rheenen
Adaptation by Koen Tachelet
Dramaturgy by Peter van Kraaij
Set and lighting design by Jan Versweyveld
Music by Eric Sleichim
Video design by Tal Yarden
Costume design by An D'Huys

At BAM Howard Gilman Opera House (30 Lafayette Ave)
Nov 28-Dec 2 at 7pm
Tickets start at $35
For ticket information, call BAM Ticket Services at 718.636.4100, or visit BAM.org.

In Dutch with English titles

BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, BAM Rose Cinemas, and BAMcafe? are located in the Peter Jay Sharp building at 30 Lafayette Avenue (between St Felix Street and Ashland Place) in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn. BAM Harvey Theater is located two blocks from the main building at 651 Fulton Street (between Ashland and Rockwell Places). Both locations house Greenlight Bookstore at BAM kiosks. BAM Fisher, located at 321 Ashland Place, is the newest addition to the BAM campus and houses the Judith and Alan Fishman Space and Rita K. Hillman Studio. BAM Rose Cinemas is Brooklyn's only movie house dedicated to first-run independent and foreign film and repertory programming. BAMcafe?, operated by Great Performances, offers a dinner menu prior to BAM Howard Gilman Opera House evening performances.

Photo Credit: Jan Versweyveld