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'I want to leave my children something substantial'. The eventful life of creative jack-of-all-trades Marc de Hond (1977-2020)

It still came as a shock, the sad news that comedian, presenter and theatre-maker Marc de Hond died yesterday. Around the beginning of corona, we were still in touch briefly about his theatre tour Voortrijdend inzicht, which he made as a legacy for his children. How unfortunate it was that most of the performances now had to be postponed indefinitely. His health situation... 

Read More "'I want to leave my children something substantial'. The eventful life of creative jack-of-all-trades Marc de Hond (1977-2020)

'Pain takes away all the words.' Wytske Versteeg wrote about that which is always silenced

Did she finally write and publish the book she had been wrestling with for years, it initially snowed under due to corona and her earlier novel about a pandemic. Fortunately, Wytske Versteeg's Verdwijnpunt has now found its way to readers. It is a haunting book about sexual violence. 'The dilemma with writing about pain, is that pain takes all the words away from you.' 

Read More "'Pain takes away all the words.' Wytske Versteeg wrote about that which is always silenced

We can learn this from Conny Braam's new war novel: 'Racism is a silent, destructive force.'

South African soldiers thought by fighting along during World War II they would gain the right to vote and independence, because they were promised that. But after the war, not freedom but Apartheid awaited them. With We are the Avengers of it all, writer Conny Braam sheds light on this painful history. Four years ago, Conny Braam (72) published the successful novel Ik ben Hendrik... 

Read More "We can learn this from Conny Braam's new war novel: 'Racism is a silent, destructive force.'

Call. Let culture workers take one-and-a-half metres of Space for the Imagination

Whether the 'cry for culture' ten years ago was the best response to the cuts announced then, I don't know, but just like then, I feel the urge to do something now. In response to a spontaneous statement of mine on Facebook, a still modest group of people emerged this weekend willing to commit to an idea... 

Read More "Call. Let culture workers take one-and-a-half metres of Space for the Imagination

THIS IS A CALL TO THE MINISTER OF CULTURE: Support our arts! My plea for a collective fund for all the arts

It is high time for collective action, now that arts organisations have closed and activities are at a standstill. Plea for a support fund for culture, to which governments, funds and companies contribute in unison. We all notice it: live cultural offerings are at a standstill due to the coronavirus. Much has been written and talked about the importance and value of culture in recent weeks. That... 

Read More "THIS IS A CALL TO THE MINISTER OF CULTURE: Support our arts! My plea for a collective fund for all the arts

'I want to become more and more like Charlie'. The life insights of actress and writer Romana Vrede

Last month, De Arbeiderspers published Romana Vrede's novel De nobele autist, based on life with her son Charlie, who has a mental disability and autism. Conversation on what she learned from him and other life events. 'Not Charlie is crazy, the world is crazy.' 'Normal' is not normal 'When my son Charlie was a 2-year-old boy in... 

Read More "'I want to become more and more like Charlie'. The life insights of actress and writer Romana Vrede

Requiem for an ideal music lover. 'Grandpa Hippo' is no more: Frans Curvers dies, aged 91

'Thea, have you heard that new piece yet? It's beautiful!' And there plopped another wetransfer in with a recording by Kate Moore, Pete Harden, Calliope Tsoupaki or any other composer. Frans Curvers was at the front of every (world) premiere. Whether it took place at Paradiso in Amsterdam, De Doelen in Rotterdam, TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht or a backstreet church somewhere.... 

Read More "Requiem for an ideal music lover. 'Grandpa Hippo' is no more: Frans Curvers dies, aged 91

Podcast in times of Corona (3): 'We drank the last beer from the pipes and then turned out the lights.' (On the closure of TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht)

'It was very strange to leave here. Such a place that is always on, where it is always busy, where it is always light, that was now just black.' Lieke Timmermans, manager of Marketing and Communications at TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht still can't quite grasp it. On Thursday 12 March 2020, after the government's press conference, the programme had to... 

Read More "Podcast in times of Corona (3): 'We drank the last beer from the pipes and then turned out the lights.' (On the closure of TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht)

Testament of Herman Finkers: don't brood on this wonderful life

Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) was a composer, scientist, writer, doctor, mystic and founder of a convent. So a Catholic nun, but one who did explore female orgasm. The latter paradox resonates, Herman Finkers obviously realised when he wrote the screenplay for 'The Legs of St Hildegard'. Hildegard's description of orgasm read: 'When a woman makes love... 

Read More "Testament of Herman Finkers: don't brood on this wonderful life

'Millions still watch the BBC' (Lessons from Manchester, episode 1)

Travelling makes you a better person. Everyone thinks so, and it is a great favour to be able to travel. A privilege to be able to do it. If you go to England by train, the last few minutes before you disappear under the Channel at Calais, you see more and more fences appearing. And we are not talking about the average... 

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Eva's Klage at TivoliVredenburg: Lera Auerbach takes on the smothered female voice

Russian Lera Auerbach (1973) does not shy away from big challenges. And that is an understatement. Most recently, she made a big impression with her cycle Goetia 72: in umbra lucis. She composed this setting of the names of 72 demons for the Netherlands Chamber Choir and the string quartet Quatuor Danel. A CD of 72 Angels: in splendore lucis, in which... 

Read More "Eva's Klage at TivoliVredenburg: Lera Auerbach takes on the smothered female voice

Ekaterina Levental: 'I come from the very bottom of society, didn't even have the right to be here, was even less than a junkie.'

Singer, harpist and theatre-maker Ekaterina Levental (Tashkent, 1977) came to the Netherlands as a refugee in 1993, where she built a successful career. Together with her partner Chris Koolmees, she made the triptych De Weg, De Grens and Schoppenvrouw, in which she sings of her own difficult road to happiness. With her pocket performances, she holds up a mirror to us: 'We are quick to judge a... 

Read More "Ekaterina Levental: 'I come from the very bottom of society, didn't even have the right to be here, was even less than a junkie.'

Oerol hit on tour in the Netherlands: Uniform, about the longing for commonality

Dance performance Uniform by creator Nastaran Razawi Khorasani, a huge success at Oerol 2018, is being remade. The performance will be re-created, premiere on Saturday 15 February 2020 at Maaspodium, Rotterdam and tour the Netherlands until 10 April 2020. Uniform is a dance performance about the desire for commonality, an ode to the follower. Uniform What is the power... 

Read More "Oerol hit on tour in the Netherlands: Uniform, about the longing for commonality

Lera Auerbach decries 72 demons: ''We know exactly what the right decision is, but often choose against our intuition''

Guts cannot be denied the Russian-American Lera Auerbach (1973). After all, you have to be 'a bit crazy and a bit of a genius to write a full-length choral work on a text limited to a list of 72 angel names', as one reviewer noted in 2016 after the world premiere of 72 Angels for the Netherlands Chamber Choir and the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet.... 

Read More "Lera Auerbach decries 72 demons: ''We know exactly what the right decision is, but often choose against our intuition''

A great 2020 with the Holland Festival, vacancies and aus LICHT Opera of the Year

The Holland Festival wishes you a happy 2020! The full programme of the 73rd festival edition will be announced on 11 February. You can already order tickets for the five productions below. Also in this newsletter: vacancies for a head of operations/controller, an employee development and interns for the communication & marketing and production departments; and aus LICHT named Opera of the Year 2019.... 

Read More "A great 2020 with the Holland Festival, vacancies and aus LICHT Opera of the Year

Deelder is Dead. Nadeche Pyka lives. Why People Say Things is the best literary festival in the Netherlands.

Jules Deelder instilled in me a love of poetry. He was there when I was in need of something other than the big-people poems that weren't about me, as a would-be punk. That was almost forty years ago now. He's just died, and heaven is also going jazz-ish. Last night, while the night mayor of Rotterdam... 

Read More "Deelder is Dead. Nadeche Pyka lives. Why People Say Things is the best literary festival in the Netherlands.

Ready or not: Forum Groningen is open, but is it for everyone?

Controversial and an eyesore for many: Forum Groningen. It has occupied minds considerably over the past few years. On Friday 29 November, the cultural centre in Groningen was finally opened to the general public. Interest in Forum is certainly there, as the counter already stood at 50,000 visitors on Tuesday morning. The prestige project that has cost the Groninger quite a few taxpayers' pennies... 

Read More "Ready or not: Forum Groningen is open, but is it for everyone?

'Once you become suspicious, you develop more and more anxiety' - Meriç Artaç addresses fear and mistrust in her chamber opera Madam Koo

'A new piece is usually only heard once, then it disappears into a drawer forever.' Such a sigh I often hear, in all tones. Not only from composers, but also from ensembles, concert organisers, musicians and even subsidy providers. Good news, then, that Meriç Artaç's opera Madam Koo will be repeated twice this month, Wednesday 11 December in CC... 

Read More "'Once you become suspicious, you develop more and more anxiety' - Meriç Artaç addresses fear and mistrust in her chamber opera Madam Koo

'Don't be too quick to think you know someone.' Six life insights from writer Rosita Steenbeek

She survived a brain haemorrhage and a serious car accident. As a result, writer Rosita Steenbeek (62) no longer has a fear of death, but an enormous zest for life. It has enriched her. By looking death in the eye, I understood that love is the most important thing in life'. 1. You can also be happy without a relationship 'I've been alone for a number of years and... 

Read More "'Don't be too quick to think you know someone.' Six life insights from writer Rosita Steenbeek

World-famous 'brooding work' - why Monet's water lilies and wisteria are still so special

People used to think it was three times nothing, but today the paintings of water lilies and wisteria are the most famous canvases by French painter Claude Monet. We visited his gardens in Giverny and took a peek through the eyes of the master. Mugs and socks When you think of the painter Claude Monet, the first thoughts probably go to his colourful canvases... 

Read More "World-famous 'brooding work' - why Monet's water lilies and wisteria are still so special

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