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PERSONAL

'We were still going to read The Green Hand!' How an 8-year-old suddenly cured of gaming

A Quattro Mani's pop-up reviewer Afke Bohle took up the challenge of reading a book with her eldest son. After the first volume in Susan van 't Hullenaar's De Groene Hand series, the second soon followed. And what was her surprise: now the wait for part three is actually taking too long... My youngest son loves books, but... 

Culture Press needs real members. Here's why you want to join

Culture Press is an indispensable addition to the cultural news in your newspaper, on the internet or on TV. Independent, quirky, rebellious and above all: useful. After all, there is already enough nonsense about art. You'll understand that we don't serve the millions of readers that the big publishers and their advertisers exist on. Which is why everyone else does so little about art.... 

Why young men (and the Gemeentemuseum) make me happy.

The other day, this einzelgänger joined a group event here in The Hague. For the first time. With buses full of local residents heading for the Gemeentemuseum. Wondering with which neighbours I would go to see art, experience again what a museum feels like after closing time and attend a workshop or lecture. For inspiration. It worked out. Experiencing What an awful lot of fun to run into neighbours at the museum,... 

Don't leave respect to the free market

The SER report published on Friday 21 April rubs it in nicely: the cultural sector is on the verge of collapse. It is even worse than a year ago. This shows that the patience of a PvdA culture minister over the past four years has not helped. Indeed: Halbe Zijlstra's multiplier of misery is doing its job entirely as expected.... 

Working in the tradition of Gutenberg: how my short story became a beautiful little book

'The photographer and the buzzard' is the name of my short story recently published by Triona Press. What is special about the booklet is that it was printed by hand. How do you do that? Where do you learn such an ancient craft? And can words describe what makes a hand-printed booklet special? I asked this and more to Dick Ronner, printer and... 

Culture outside the Randstad: Amersfoort's struggle

Displaced paintings by Armando. Artists fleeing the city. A tinpot that brought financial disaster and summer festivals that attract tens of thousands of visitors every year. And you thought Amersfoort was boring? A footnote along the A1 motorway? Forget it. Let me tell you about this city struggling with its cultural identity. A story in eighteen impressions. Guilty landscape In his youth... 

What I learned from Jan Wolff, the late director of Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ

During the big January cleaning in my private museum, I rediscovered the book released in 2007, on the occasion of the Music Building on the IJ, which opened two years earlier. I had forgotten that it came with a CD with four pieces on it. The fourth piece is a recording of the opening speech given by Jan Wolff [hints]former director IJsbreker, more than twenty... 

When you lose a sibling. On the grief of 'forgotten grief'

My father died in 1997. He came from a family of 10 children, five of whom have since died. My aunt Minke wrote a book about it: Broederziel alleen? The book stirred up a lot of emotions and had eight reprints in a short time. Grief for a deceased sibling turned out to be forgotten grief. In English, mourners are forgotten... 

My 2016, and why it scared me to death. (A list)

Five art experiences will always stick to this bizarre year for me. And one thing really scared me. Whether the worst is now behind us? At least the most extraordinary is still on view until 5 February 2017. A chronological overview of what was unbelievable, unthinkable, inconceivable, unbelievable and perhaps untrue. Much of it, by the way, will be in 2017... 

Artists: please don't teach me anything, I just want to enjoy myself.

The public takes no part in the ongoing debate about the role of art in society. Government and art-makers argue or engage constructively with each other. Visitors' opinions are not sought. Hence this contribution. Of course, my voice is just one of thousands. I can only give my own opinion. Last week, I attended the play... 

Stop whining about ageing audiences at classical concerts

Last weekend, I attended a coffee concert by the baroque company The Continuo Company. At 53, I was one of the youngest visitors. Around me wrinkled faces and grey hair. I increasingly hear that ageing audiences for classical music are a problem. I think this is big nonsense and am becoming increasingly annoyed by this... 

Ode to soul piercing sounds of György Kurtág

On 19 February 2016, György Kurtág celebrated his 90th birthday. Though frail, the Hungarian grandmaster of soul-crushing notes is still working on his first and only opera, Fin du Partie (Endgame), based on Samuel Beckett's play of the same name. The prologue was already premiered at a grand birthday festival at the Liszt Academy in Budapest, where he himself once studied. On Thursday 13 October, the... 

What's behind Wim Pijbes' directed departure from the Rijks?

For now, an unusual state of affairs in the field of cultural governance. Unsatisfactory also because of the many questions it raises: Wim Pijbes rather unexpectedly announces his departure as chief director of the Rijksmuseum on 1 March 2016, opting for a director's position at a new private museum (Voorlinden) owned by billionaire Van Caldenborgh on 1 July 2016. Equally unexpectedly,... 

24 million for culture added! Or 80 euros! Or 0.0015 euro!

In these election times, it is just how you put it and calculate it. That 24 million extra for culture, which Pechtold triumphantly mentioned with the addition that 'the journey through the desert is over after 2016', has, for the time being, as much value as Rutte's illustrious 1,000 euros: first see, then believe. And since Pechtold gave no further explanation,... 

Don't wait for the masses and determine the start of your cultural season yourself

Retrospectively, I proclaim last Monday night, 15/8, as the opening of my cultural season. Viavia I ended up, in fine company, at the Crazy Goat. A music cafe that might as well have been in New York, Paris or Berlin. This is in The Hague: an ini-mini stage in a building where the money is not spent on chipped-up old school benches,... 

Boulevard. Scenic photo Piknik Horrific Laika. Photo : Kathleen Michiels

Stop theatre-goer loneliness. 5 lessons from Boulevard

10 days of Festival Boulevard. I threw myself into it. I saw 14 performances, saw a lot of corners of Den Bosch (and Tilburg) up close and experienced more different theatre than usual in six months. I also ate more chips than is good for me, drank more beer than usual and enjoyed eavesdropping on conversations of... 

NERD MEE! Game of Thrones builds towards Victory for Women

In King's Landing, the dust is still slowly settling. And in my head, too. Now that most Game of Thrones nerds, freaks and enthusiasts the imposing season finale of the sixth season, it is high time to take stock and look ahead. It seems almost needless to mention that this entire article is riddled with SPOILERS. Those who have not been binge-watching the infamous series in recent years: read along, and sympathise with the nerds.

What the f***k happened?

Nicolas Mansfield: Today I feel more European than ever. #Brexit

24th of June, 2016. What a day. I spent it at the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science in The Hague. Speaking with civil servants about the achievements, plans, challenges and dreams of the Dutch National Touring Opera. All in the shadow of something I find difficult to process. 

A music scene that touches you: Fien de la Mar sings pure emotion

In every stage performance, film, or concert, there is a scene that particularly touches you. In the documentary I want to be happy (2016) about the life of actress and cabaret performer Fien de La Mar (1898-1965) also contains such a moment, a musical scene of unforgettable poignancy.

Pixar's Inside Out, but according to Jehovah's Witnesses

In a new clip, seen below, the Johavas target children. And use questionable tactics in the process. Of course: the practices of Jehovah's Witnesses are generally friendly, wishing them "also have a nice day" and closing the door is usually enough. That the Witnesses get their foot stuck between the door is by now also cliché and prejudice.... 

Podium Witteman has lost the stage, er, way

Throughout the year, the public broadcaster spends a lot of time on sports. For World Cup, Tour or Games, cultural broadcasts are cancelled for weeks without pardon. If you can't beat them, join them, Paul Witteman must have thought, or perhaps the viewing figures were disappointing, because on 1 May he devoted an entire Podium Witteman broadcast to cycling. Don't. The reason for the cycling special is... 

New image for the King with some help from music & Ottolenghi

Majesty, Dear Willem Alexander, Last year at the Koningsdag concert, one of my favourite musicians played: violinist and composer Oene van Geel. On that occasion, his band zapp4 played together with a musician from my old world: recorder player Walter van Hauwe. In addition, surprising programming with David Kweksilber Big Band, leading lady Claron McFadden, tap dancer Peter Kuit and more. Great musicians... 

Böhmermann: Turkey is the place to be

'No barbaric act can ever erase press freedom,' French President Hollande tweeted immediately after the bloody attack on the editors of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo in January 2015. German Chancellor Angela Merkel walked side by side with him in a mass demonstration for freedom of expression. But that was the reality of the time. Now she stands ... 

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