Opera

Suster Bertken
70'
2010
on the life and the poetry of a 15th-century anchoress
  

Suster Bertken             soprano
Prior Dirck van Malsen  baritone (playing bar. saxophone)
Jezus                            two boy-sopranos

Ensemble of 21 musicians: 2 fl./ 1 rec.*)/1 ob./2 cl./1 bsn./1 hrn./1 tpt./1 pno.+cel./ 1 hrp./2 perc./4 vl./2 vla./2 vc./ 1 cb.  
*) 2nd flute and recorder-part can be combined by one player

language: medieval-Dutch and Latin
first performance: December 4 2010 Concertgebouw Amsterdam

libretto (English transl.)
libretto (Nederlandse hertaling)
More info



 
Adam in Ballingschap
 115'

2007/'09
after Joost van den Vondel's 17th-century play on the expulsion from Paradise
 

for nine soloists, chorus (16 singers) and chamber-orchestra.
Eva         colorature-soprano
Adam      baritone
Belial      tenor
Asmode  bariton
Lucifer    bas
Gabriel   sopraan
Rafael    countertenor
Michael  alto
Uriël       bass

Choir: 4 sopr. 3 mez.-sopr., 2 alto 2 ten. 2 bar. 3 bass
Chamberorchestra : 3 fl./2 ob./ 3 cl./ 2 bsn./ 4 hrn./ 3 tpt./ 2 trb./ 4 perc./ 1 pno.+cel./ 1 hrp./ str.: 9/6/4/4/3 (51 musicians)

 

language: Dutch
first performance: June 5 2009, during the Holland Festival at the Stadsschouwburg, Amsterdam

libretto


 

 
 
Der Hund
 63'

2005/'06
nach Otto Weiningers "Über die letzten Dinge"
  

Otto Weininger  tenor
Hündin I            soprano
Hündin II           mezzo-soprano

eight musicians. (fl. cl. hrn. vl. vla. vc. pno/synth. and perc.)

Language: German
first performance: November 16 2006, at the Muziekgebouw aan het IJ, Amsterdam

 


libretto  more info

 

  
Rage d'Amours
 60'

2002/'03
on Joanna the Insane and Philip the Handsome.
 
Commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra for the Tanglewood Music Center
 

for ten singers plus chamber-orchestra
Juana 1                                                 soprano
Juana 2                                                 soprano
Juana 3                                                 soprano
Philip the Handsome                             tenor
Old Galician woman/ Washerwoman    mezzo-soprano
Pierchon de Rue                                   baritone
Philibert Naturel/Monk 1                       countertenor
Monk 2 / nobleman                               tenor
Monk 3 / sailor 1                                   baritone
Monk 4 / sailor 2                                   bass

language: middle-French, Spanish and Latin
first performance: August 8 2003 at Tanglewood

music sample
libretto Rage d'Amours
read more




 
McGonagall-Lieder
 55'
1997/2001
on poetic gems by William McGonagall
  


for colorature-soprano, 4 ’celli, double bass, 2 pianos and percussion

I    For Two Pianos
II   Address to the New Tay Bridge
III  For two pianos and strings
IV  The Tay Bridge Disaster

language: English
first performance: August 11th 2001 at Tanglewood

music samples
lyrics McGonagall-Lieder
more info:  English  Dutch

  

 

Freeze

 

95'

 

1993/'94
on the Patricia Hearst-abduction
    
Commisioned by the Münchener Biennale für Neues Musiktheater, in co-production with the Holland Festival and the Staatstheater Braunschweig

for six singers and large ensemble (19 musicians)

Patty H.                            soprano
Mother H./Lady of Justice soprano
Mizmoon                           mezzo-soprano
Mr.H.                                 tenor
Cinque                              baritone
Ambrose Bierce                 bass

Ensemble:2 fl./ 2 ob./2 cl./ hrn./ tpt./ trb./ 2 perc./pno./ hrp./ el.guit./ 2 vl./ vla./ vc./ cb.


language: English
first performance: May 5 1994 at the Muffathalle in Munich


 

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