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PODIUM ART

Anything for which people enter a stage.

Playwrights and cultural exploration (2) Sophie Kassies: 'A pool of plays that don't find an audience is an erosion of the profession'

The previous cultural exploration among playwrights gives cause for further exploration. From the earlier article, we take away that further privatisation only partially captures public money and objectives. See also from elevation ideals to efficiency thinking. We also take away that a public as all-important leads to one-sided popular culture, entertainment and false competition with the free circuit. It all has very little... 

Read More "Playwrights and cultural exploration (2) Sophie Kassies: 'A pool of plays that don't find an audience is an erosion of the profession'

ITA is a hopeless name for an art house. But there is no alternative for Amsterdam's city theatre

Toneelgroep Amsterdam and Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam will continue together as 'Internationa(a)l Theater Amsterdam' (ITA). Not to be confused with the just-removed Internationaal Danstheater Amsterdam. I find the name 'ITA' rather chilly. Maybe as cold as Toneelgroep, but at least that still contained the word 'group'. That has something cosy about it. ITA is something like ING. Great ambition and no roots. For a moment... 

Read More "ITA is a hopeless name for an art house. But there is no alternative for Amsterdam's city theatre

Julia Bullock sings Anne Truelove in #TheRakesProgress: 'Anne is a very mature woman'

At the first opportunity, he abandons her. He leads a debauched life, marries another and ends up in the madhouse. Yet Anne Truelove continues to love Tom Rakewell, the protagonist in The Rake's Progress. The National Opera will present its fourth production of Stravinsky's opera from 1 February, in collaboration with Aix-en-Provence. There, last July, the... 

Read More "Julia Bullock sings Anne Truelove in #TheRakesProgress: 'Anne is a very mature woman'

#Grammy for Barbara Hannigan & Ludwig Orchestra, Reinbert de Leeuw misses out

Expectations were high. Both Reinbert de Leeuw and Barbara Hannigan had been nominated for a 2018 Grammy Award. Hannigan was shortlisted for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album, for her recordings of music by Berg, Gershwin & Berio. De Leeuw competed in the Best Classical Compendium category with his compilation of all conducted choral and ensemble pieces by György Kurtág. Hannigan... 

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Silvia Colasanti: 'My string quartet is about the beauty and nostalgia of Rome'

Whether flowing melodies, driving rhythms or dense clouds of sound, the music of Silvia Colasanti (Rome, 1975) is always lyrical. On Monday 29 January, Quartetto di Cremona will perform the world premiere of her string quartet Ogni cosa ad ogni cosa addio at Muziekgebouw aan' t IJ Amsterdam. The concert is part of the String Quartet Biennale, which takes place from 27 January... 

Read More "Silvia Colasanti: 'My string quartet is about the beauty and nostalgia of Rome'

Why it's good that the Holland Festival is putting the focus on Africa, rather than opting for a single artistic director.

Faustin Linyekula. Photo by: Joe Mabel [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia CommonsWilliam Kentridge and Faustin Linyekula. Remember those names, if you didn't already know them, because they are going to help define the face of Holland in the coming year. They have been appointed by the Holland Festival as associate artists. With this, the festival continues the phenom... You can log in now to continue... 

Read More "Why it's good that the Holland Festival is putting the focus on Africa, rather than opting for a single artistic director.

Maarten Baanders watched 'Nachthexen 1: Jeanne'. 'The music works its way right through you. At first, this gives me an uneasy feeling. But gradually it pulls me along.'

Is she on a podium of honour or a scaffold? Joan of Arc holds a monologue. She shouts out her words. The beat of the music propels an ominous atmosphere into the room. On the floor, five dancers make resolute movements. In a long series of statements and confessions, Jeanne speaks out what moved her to seek the battlefield. And. 

Read More "Maarten Baanders watched 'Nachthexen 1: Jeanne'. 'The music works its way right through you. At first, this gives me an uneasy feeling. But gradually it pulls me along.'

Good news for Urban artists in need of money. Three cultural funds are proposing eight 'Matchmakers'. (But at least 12 are needed)

Opinions differ on the size of the pot of money waiting for them, but 'urban' makers in particular do not yet know how to find their way to our art subsidy system. That is why the three cultural funds that deal mainly with performing arts have appointed ambassadors in a number of Dutch cities. These 'Matchmakers' should narrow the gap between The Hague and 'the region'.... 

Read More "Good news for Urban artists in need of money. Three cultural funds are proposing eight 'Matchmakers'. (But at least 12 are needed)

Jens van Daele: 'The power of women is greater than that of men'

'I admire the strength of women. I experience it as greater than that of men. Women's strength lies in the dedication with which they can deal with things. The courage to push boundaries.' Jens van Daele, in his latest theatre show 'Nighthexen 1: Jeanne', pays tribute to the strength of women and highlights their heroism from... 

Read More "Jens van Daele: 'The power of women is greater than that of men'

Symphony of Psalms Igor Stravinsky: away with romantic sentiment

On Wednesday 24 January, the Nederlands Kamerkoor presents an adventurous concert at Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ to kick off a short tour. On the lecterns are rarely heard music by Lili Boulanger and Ton de Leeuw. The highlight is Igor Stravinsky's famous Psalm Symphony in a version for choir and piano four hands by Dmitri Shostakovich. Ralph van Raat and Bobby Mitchell sign... 

Read More "Symphony of Psalms Igor Stravinsky: away with romantic sentiment
Last 7 Words Dutch Don't Dance

'This is God'. Choreographer Thom Stuart sets Haydn's Last 7 Words to dance.

First there was Kinder Matteüs: an interactive musical production with the Holland Baroque Society and the Nieuw Amsterdams Kinderkoor. Now The Dutch Junior Dance Division with the Matangi Quartet brings Last 7 Words to music by Haydn. You came to church every day, didn't you?" I ask Thom Stuart. No, the choreographer firmly denies. 'I never come to church.' 

Read More "'This is God'. Choreographer Thom Stuart sets Haydn's Last 7 Words to dance.

Ton de Leeuw by Groot Omroepkoor & RFO brass ensemble: music of 'being' versus music of 'becoming'

At the end of the nineteenth century, Western music gradually began to come apart at the seams. Composers used more and more dissonances so that the familiar tonality hardly fitted into its shell. From a constant desire for even more expression, the orchestra was expanded with ever-newer instruments. This led to monster productions such as Gustav Mahler's 'Symphony of the Tausend', with more than a thousand... 

Read More "Ton de Leeuw by Groot Omroepkoor & RFO brass ensemble: music of 'being' versus music of 'becoming'

There will be a hotline for sexual violence and harassment in the arts. Question remains as to who will... er... staff it.

Good news! The hashtag #metoo has finally led to action. There will be a hotline. The press release came today. 'The performing arts, film and television sectors have joined forces to launch an independent and umbrella hotline for sexual harassment.' This is more unique than you might think. In the performing arts, and certainly in the film and television sector, the situation is disastrous with the... 

Read More "There will be a hotline for sexual violence and harassment in the arts. Question remains as to who will... er... staff it.

ZEP takes on the sacred cows of love with comedy HABIB. (Why Rascal should just come and watch)

So certain words are taboo. Moroccan Said explains that his ideal woman has to be a virgin, chaste, and so should not let him ... well, that is. That word you are not allowed to say. The Turkish Evrim thinks that's big nonsense again. Why not call a spade a spade? In Habib, the latest performance by theatre group ZEP, it is all about... 

Read More "ZEP takes on the sacred cows of love with comedy HABIB. (Why Rascal should just come and watch)

Composer Victoria Borisova-Ollas: 'Music has no nationality'

The most recent achievement of Russian-Swedish composer Victoria Borisova-Ollas (b. 1969) is Dracula. This opera based on Bram Stoker's book of the same name premiered at Royal Opera Stockholm in October 2017. A 'colourful and highly atmospheric musical score', it included 'one of the most emotional scenes in the history of Swedish opera', wrote one critic. Seven years earlier,... 

Read More "Composer Victoria Borisova-Ollas: 'Music has no nationality'
Krisztina de Chatel in A frenzied mastery

Truly something to look forward to. Krisztina de Châtel's emotions come unstuck in A frenzied mastery

'A frenzied mastery' is the name of the documentary that Manon Lichtveld and Bas Westerhof made about Krisztina de Châtel. The emotions really hit home when visiting their parents' home in Hungary. We met them in the Rabozaal of Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam. They were also filming. Bas Westerhof and Manon Lichtveld. Cameraman Leo van Emden and I followed Koert... 

Read More "Truly something to look forward to. Krisztina de Châtel's emotions come unstuck in A frenzied mastery

José Maria Sánchez-Verdú composes musical Hell's Gate for choir and string quartet

The string quartet is considered Joseph Haydn's invention; Goethe considered it the nec plus ultra of instrumental music. 'One hears four intelligent people conversing with each other' said the poet. 'One believes to understand something of their conversation and to know the idiosyncrasies of the instruments.' We get plenty of that opportunity from 27 January to 3 February, during... 

Read More "José Maria Sánchez-Verdú composes musical Hell's Gate for choir and string quartet

2018 in the arts: the year we finally choose our bubble and let the masses be the masses.

We are going to live smaller. It is not only in the popularity of the TinyHouse movement that young people and seniors can shake hands. We want to de-clutter, but we also want to have less to do with the big bad outside world. This applies to older people, but certainly to those in their twenties. This movement has been going on in the arts for a while. Small ... 

Read More "2018 in the arts: the year we finally choose our bubble and let the masses be the masses.

Our readers' list. What we should all never forget from 2017.

Well, we're not big on hypes and traditions here, but still. The dark days around Christmas are very dark this year, so why not something with lists. This year, no list of toppers from the editors, but random entries from random readers, in random, if slightly alphabetical order. Motto of the readers' question was: which things... 

Read More "Our readers' list. What we should all never forget from 2017.

Number of overnight stays and good luck city branding as highlights for the Capital of Culture. Goodbye AARHUS2017, hello LEEUWARDEN2018. And: VALLETTA2018, may I have my potato back?

An ancient melody floats, crackles and drones through the town hall of Aarhus, Denmark. The city is close to being European Capital of Culture. That is why we hear the same song at the handover ceremony as when it was launched on 21 January. Then Aarhus celebrated the start of Aarhus, European Capital of Culture and 'Jeg drømte mig en drøm i nat' thundered through the Aarhus streets.... 

Read More "Number of overnight stays and good luck city branding as highlights for the Capital of Culture. Goodbye AARHUS2017, hello LEEUWARDEN2018. And: VALLETTA2018, may I have my potato back?

Save and destroy: charge against squandering cultural heritage

A Saudi prince is paying $450 million for a mediocre painting by Leonardo da Vinci; a Dutch politician is pledging a crate of beer for a new composition. In a nutshell, these two extremes capture our current dealings with culture. Total contempt on the one hand and unimaginable overvaluation on the other are two sides of the same coin. We do not judge art for its... 

Read More "Save and destroy: charge against squandering cultural heritage
Scene from The Place To Be. Photo: Jochem Jurgens

Rolling stones, screaming kitchen maids, smoke bombs and noble punk: why the upstarts in Theatre Frogs Winter Collection offer so many surprises.

Two men. Not even very muscular, not even very tough. But what dockworkers. And what simplicity to tell something really beautiful. One rolls himself up like a stone and the other rolls that stone up a mountain. That mountain consists of stage sections that are each at least half a metre in height from each other.... 

Read More "Rolling stones, screaming kitchen maids, smoke bombs and noble punk: why the upstarts in Theatre Frogs Winter Collection offer so many surprises.
Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Dutch proverbs, oil on panel, 1559, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin

'Playwriting is flourishing,' says the Language Union. Time for an exploration among playwrights.

On 6 December 2017, the Taalunie Toneelschrijfprijs was awarded to poet, writer and playwright Ilja Leonard Pfeiffer. With his play about Bram Moszkowitcz, titled 'The lawyer', he was the preferred original work among 47 submissions. According to the Taalunie, Pfeiffer's play 'balances magisterially on the fine line between tragedy and comedy, realistic drama and meta-thought, slapstick and emotion.... 

Read More "'Playwriting is flourishing,' says the Language Union. Time for an exploration among playwrights.

Ensemble 1904: loving CD portrait of forgotten Poldowski

Poldowski re-imagined is the name of French Ensemble 1904's latest CD. Poldowski who? Well, like many of her colleagues, this Polish-British composer (1879-1932) is all but forgotten. Her name, too, is problematic. Born the youngest daughter of violinist and composer Henryk Wieniawski, her official name was Irène Régine Wieniawski. However, she published her first compositions as Irène Wieniawska. After... 

Read More "Ensemble 1904: loving CD portrait of forgotten Poldowski

Kate Moore wins Matthijs Vermeulen prize - as first woman ever

On Saturday 2 December, Australian-Dutch composer Kate Moore (b 1979) will receive the Matthijs Vermeulen Prize for her composition The Dam. The prize money is €20,000, made available by the Performing Arts Fund. The prize was established in 1972 and named after the Dutch composer and critic Matthijs Vermeulen (1888-1967). Until now, it invariably went to men, some even getting it two... 

Read More "Kate Moore wins Matthijs Vermeulen prize - as first woman ever

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