Melissa Fortes is a colorful multidisciplinary artist: singer, actress, songwriter and creator. She likes to mix and combine different styles. You can hear and see that in her music, video clips and colorful and eclectic appearance. Her sound can best be described as summery, loving, soul-touching and uplifting. A lovely breeze on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Melissa has worked and toured with several major artists in Cape Verde, Angola, Mozambique, America and Europe. She has worked with Nelson Freitas, Dino D’Santiago, William Araujo, Livity, Boddhi Satva and Gregor Salto, among others.

Baritone/performer/director Arnout Lems received his master’s degree in solo singing at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. He focuses on contemporary music theatre, as a singer and as a director. He has worked as a singer/performer with Nicole Beutler Projects, Holland Opera, World Opera Lab, Muziektheater Hollands Diep, ICTUS Ensemble Brussels and Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart, among others. Since 2006 he has been working with Silbersee. Through Silbersee he has worked with Klangart Berlin, Slagwerk Den Haag, Asko Schönberg, Muziektheater Transparant, LOD Muziektheater Gent, Gouden Haas and de Toneelmakerij, among others. He made his directorial debut, together with Marco Gerris, with Monteverdish, by Silbersee and ISH dance collective. Since then he has directed a number of operas and contemporary music theater performances. He was a member of the artistic team of ISH dance collective from 2016 to 2021. This summer Arnout will perform in Holland Opera’s Kersentuin. After the summer, ATMEN by Nicole Beutler Projects and Reinaert de V. by Holland Opera will follow.

Pelgrimvaderskerk offers facilities for coffee and tea.

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!