Bernadeta Astari graduated cum laude at the Utrecht Conservatory in 2012 and promptly won that year’s Dutch Classical Talent Award. The soprano is praised for her warm, strong voice and performance, which can lift both operas and music theater to glorious heights. She performs music from the sixteenth century as well as numerous contemporary compositions written for her. The in-demand singer has collaborated with various music theater and dance companies such as Leine Roebana, Touki Delphine, Nico and the Navigators (Berlin), LIBI/Ryan Djojokarso and World Opera Lab.

The moonstricken, mystical alternative folk of Bear Valour embodies a quest for both inner and outer harmony for its chief songwriter and composer, Eli Oscar. Like with any quest, there have to be devoted disciples joining the adventurer’s cause. In Bear Valour’s case, the cast of characters is both unconventional and intoxicating: Linda Visser, Alisa Timmermans and Sherida Alberga radiate as the group’s three towering sirens, while Josha Stribos, Eddie Kuijpers and Erwin Pronk engross themselves in melody, pulse and rhythm. Performers on First Dates: Eli Oscar, Josha Stribos.

About First Dates
With First Dates, O. links singers from different musical worlds and challenges them to perform together for the first time. They meet each other in an inspiring place and will amaze themselves, but also you as a visitor. And who knows, such a first encounter may lead to more… Exciting for musicians and audience in any case!