Set designers Marloes and Wikke about Orphée aux Enfers

Category Archive:News

• Set designers Marloes and Wikke about Orphée aux Enfers

  13 June 202309:37 Leave a Comment

  Designers Marloes van der Hoek and Wikke van Houwelingen are used to making their set designs as a duo. Ideas for this arise during museum visits, image research and brainstorming sessions, in their studio and at the kitchen table. This time it turned out differently; together with an entire artistic team, the basis for Orphée aux Enfers was laid while talking, at the table with director Benjamin Prins in Paris.

  Wikke: ‘Normally we read the script, talk to the director and – the two of us – get inspired, so we come up with ideas through associations.’

  Marloes: ‘But now, in Paris, we mostly talked; about Orphée aux Enfers, about what the work means, about the composer. Benjamin is a huge Offenbach connoisseur so it was very inspiring to hear from him. The composer was an innovator and inspirer in his time, socially critical as well. So then you want to know: how do we now relate to what he did? It is very interesting to see how you can take Offenbach’s thought to the present.’

  Wikke: ‘For example, Benjamin wanted to keep the pastoral classic at the beginning. Then it is our job to find out how we can build on that fact, how we can make it more our own and how we can break it open.’

  Marloes: ‘Yes, because we don’t want to reproduce Offenbach exactly. I found it very stimulating and challenging to research: can we give that classic starting point a twist so that it also feels modern?’

  Wikke: ‘I found that very inspiring! If you’re stuck in a kind of corset (just like Eurydice), how are you going to break out of that in your design? We hope that the public will be misled: that they think they see a traditional decor at the beginning, but at the end they walk out surprised. Because it’s not that classic, (laughing) we also call it our ultra-neoclassicism.’

  Wikke clarifies by describing what their design looks like: ‘The decor consists of 2D plates printed with prints, the colors have been made brighter and we have incorporated even more humour. So the initial decor looks classic, but if you look closely, you can already see and feel that breakout is announcing…’

  Marloes: ‘It is also just like the old theater in terms of performance; with all those changes, panels that come out and go to the side, very dynamic. But it’s kind of a parody of the classic. That is exactly what Offenbach himself does all the time, which is why we also feel free to play with it.” She continues: “That kind of play seems like a superficial play with shapes, but you can only do that because there is indeed a story behind it. There are many connections between when Offenbach wrote this and now; for example, that decadence, the rise of capitalism, they were already concerned about that at the time. That social criticism is just as good in this.’

  Wikke: ‘Of course, the exact message never comes across literally, but I do hope that people will feel the process of transformation. Just as the characters undergo a transformation, we transform the stage from beautiful and conventional to – ultimately – playful and free.’

  Interview: Kyra Bertram

• In Memoriam

  18 April 202314:43 Comments Off on In Memoriam

  Opera Zuid, the team of Buurt Opera Malpertuis and all those directly involved are saddened and touched by the sudden death of Pieter Eijssen (1956 – 2023). Pieter was a participant and initiator of the Buurt Opera Malpertuis (BOM). His tireless effort and involvement were indispensable in the stories and personal anecdotes that led to the music-theatrical BOM performances. Hübst tieg already whined? Pieter always asked with a big grin. His laughter and singing will always reverberate in Opera Zuid. We wish Pieter’s family and friends a lot of strength in the coming period. Team Opera Zuid

• In conversation with Marrit en Pilo

  17 April 202311:37 Comments Off on In conversation with Marrit en Pilo

  Between trying on clothes and puzzling with wigs, there is some time to drink a cup of coffee together. Costume designer Marrit van der Burgt and wig designer Pilo Pilkes have often worked together and rely on each other. We speak each other’s language, we read each other’s handwriting.’

  How does that work, designing for an opera like Orphée aux Enfers?

  Marrit: ‘In this case, the decor was already there, so I adapted to it. The decor is very colorful and a lot, that’s why I keep the costumes calm. I got my inspiration from those white Greek images, mixed with red carpet-like dresses of the Hollywood stars – a bit like the gods of today. And so I arrived at the Empire style, neoclassicism, which in turn is inspired by the classical antiquity of the Greeks. Actually, I bring in all the times of history and the colors provide the line; the gods are white, the people wear color – natural – and the devils are more blackish.” Pilo: ‘I also started with the Greek statues of the gods, then I will see if I can make it more personal or better suited to what we are going to tell. So the inspiration for the wigs might as well come from everywhere.” Marrit: ‘That’s the nice thing about this piece; you can do anything with it!” Pilo: ‘That is also a pitfall, isn’t it, that anything is possible. Because it has to be correct and clear. If it’s too many lines; a little bit of Empire, a little bit of this and a little bit of that, you don’t know where you are anymore. At such a moment we really need each other to create order.” Marrit: ‘Yes, sometimes you pull the costumes and I pull the hair and that’s all allowed. Because everything passes through our hands, it does become one whole. We have been working together for a long time, so [at the same time] we speak the same language (Marrit) we can read each other’s handwriting (Pilo).’ Marrit: ‘We have to, because we already work improvising. So you have your designs and lines to follow, but if the final picture is not right, you have to fix it.” Pilo nods in agreement: ‘Yes, sometimes you have to put on a dozen wigs to see if it fits with the rest and with the person who has to wear the wig.’ Pilo continues: ‘That is the most challenging, but also the great thing about our profession. That we have to continuously adapt, move along, improvise.’ Marrit: ‘That is indeed exciting, but also a lot of fun. It really is an ongoing process, you keep fine-tuning until the premiere. Every production brings new challenges. But that’s why we love this profession.’

  Just like the design process, the conversation between the two designers is a bit chaotic and organic. That fits, it turns out…

  Pilo: ‘The play itself is quite chaotic; all the characters meddle in everything, Offenbach also makes all kinds of jokes and quotes from other music…But it’s up to us – and the others of the artistic team – to make it as clear as possible. Although it remains an exuberant whole, that has to be in Orphée aux Enfers.’ Marrit: ‘Yes, do people understand everything…? But that’s okay. You feel it, it goes through your heart.’ Pilo laughs: ‘That’s a nice ending to this conversation: it enters your heart.’

  Interview: Kyra Bertram

• Lady in the Dark is Opera of the Year 2022

  30 December 202214:53 Comments Off on Lady in the Dark is Opera of the Year 2022

  “Of the more than 1200 votes, 48% were cast for the ‘Broadway opera’ Lady in the Dark by Kurt Weill, for which the entire cast, but in particular the soprano Maartje Rammeloo in the leading role, was unanimously praised by the press and the public. Anna Pool’s direction and David Stern’s musical direction ensured a sparkling performance, in beautiful costumes and sets by Madeleine Boyd.” – Place de l’Opera

  Franz Straatman wrote in his review on Place de L’Opera about Lady in the Dark among other things:

  ‘ With soprano Maartje Rammeloo in the lead role, the opera element is filled in with a great singer and actress. And as a musical, the production comes out beautifully with wonderful dance and show work. ‘ All her co-stars get great opportunities to sing and act here, with baritone Quirijn de Lang as movie star Curtis in a leading role. He exudes a natural charm in his playing and he sings his songs with flair. ‘

  ‘With (…) the South Netherlands Philharmonic under the direction of the American conductor David Stern, it was (…..) enjoying the spicy rhythms in the percussion, the fierce harmony of three trumpets and a trombone and the sweet harmonies from the three saxophones. Thoroughly Kurt Weill with a good dash of Broadway. ……’The enjoyment of this production is greatly enhanced by the clever direction in a consistent, beautiful-looking set designed by Madeleine Boyd. But especially the dancing and singing of the Theater Choir Opera Zuid and a nameless ensemble of fast musical dancers in virtuoso choreography by Rebecca Howell, make the theater heart beat faster. ‘

  Read the full article here.

• Interview Maartje Rammeloo

  7 November 202215:17 Leave a Comment

  A modern and powerful woman

  Maartje Rammeloo performs the role of Liza Elliott in this Broadway opera. She talks candidly about preparing for this wonderful role and her personal experiences with performance pressure and stress. ‘We are all always “on”.’

  There are few operas in which a woman plays such a prominent role. Everything revolves around Liza. Even when you are not on stage for a moment, the others talk about her. How did you prepare for this big role?

  ‘To play Liza, I really immersed myself in her time. I watched films and read books because I wanted to know what it was like to live in New York in the 1940s. What did people look like, how did they behave? I also find the social and political developments interesting. There are many references in the text to people and incidents in the 1940s. If you delve into these, you understand the underlying relationships and also Liza’s behaviour better. As a result, I can empathise with her better. I even took dance lessons to be able to dance like Liza and started juggling at home. With all these experiences, I practised the text, first “dry” and then with emotion. Quite a job because it is indeed a big role.’

  The play was written in the middle of the last century. As a modern woman, do you still recognise yourself in Liza?

  ‘I recognise her fears and emotions and sometimes her feelings are even very close to my own. While rehearsing at home, I often cried. In our society, and certainly in our profession, we ask a lot of ourselves and that can be stressful. My work is a big part of my identity, but I am also a mother. That sometimes creates tension. When you think about how much faster and more demanding our society is these days, you realise that you don’t even have to be a workaholic like Liza to get burnout. We are all always “on”. This will also be very recognisable to the audience.’

  In her sleep, Liza is able to escape this constant pressure. And then come the dreams. What is it like to sing them?

  ‘Director Anna Pool challenges us to sing and play these dreams grandly and imaginatively, like in old Hollywood films. Being allowed to express yourself so dramatically is really fantastic. The fascinating thing about these dreams is that we see not only the Liza going through a difficult period in her life, but also her hidden side; her dreams and fantasies. Discovering Liza in all her facets is a huge challenge, but therefore also an emotional rollercoaster.’

  Liza visits a psychologist, which was quite exceptional at the time. How do you view this?

  ‘Although today it is much more normal to see a psychologist, people are still not very open about issues like work pressure and stress. I do talk to others about my mental health, including on social media, and I get positive reactions to it. People recognise themselves in my experiences, even if they don’t let themselves talk about it so easily. People still often see it as a sign of weakness. In that respect, we haven’t made much progress yet. I find Liza’s development through psychoanalysis hopeful. She looks her problems straight in the eye and finally feels liberated. She makes a choice and doesn’t leave it to the men. I find that powerful and also very modern. Especially for a story set in 1941, but just as well before 2022.’

  Interview: Manon Berns

• New Geneco Fair Practice Award

  20 October 202210:32 Comments Off on New Geneco Fair Practice Award

  Opera Zuid has won the Nieuw Geneco Fair Practice Award 2022! Last Saturday, our intendant Waut Koeken received the prize from Nieuw Geneco director Esther Gottschalk.

  The award focuses, among other things, on fair remuneration for assignments, clear agreements, free space for composers, sustainable development of the public, repertoire and performance opportunities and a special impact on Dutch musical life. Opera Zuid received the award for composition assignments to composers Jan-Peter de Graaff and Lucas Wiegerink. Thanks again to these gentlemen for the nomination!

  Of course we are very proud to receive this award. If possible, we are even more proud of the beautiful words of Jan-Peter de Graaff: “The appreciation and recognition of the entire process, the development in good faith and the manner of consultation is guaranteed at Opera Zuid in such a warm and cordial manner, that for me that is the most important reason why I nominated the company and why I can now also say that it is a very deserved winner!”

• In memory of Frank Levers

  22 September 202209:26 Comments Off on In memory of Frank Levers

  Opera Zuid has taken note of the death of Frank Lever with sadness. Frank has played an incredibly important role for Opera Zuid. Frank worked for us in the past as a stage manager and he has played an important advisory role with his opera archive. For example, he recently provided the English libretto for our performance MTOTO. His diverse activities and advice and his enthusiasm have been of immense significance to the entire opera world in the Netherlands. We wish Frank’s family and loved ones a lot of strength in the coming time.

• Neighbor Day 2022

  15 September 202214:33 Comments Off on Neighbor Day 2022

  Opera Zuid is celebrating Neighbors’ Day again this year! The day on which you can get together with the neighborhood, organized by Douwe Egberts and the Oranje Fonds. Neighborhoods become nicer, more social and safer when neighbors meet and work together for their neighbourhood.

  Are you participating? Come with the whole family free to our family opera Het Lijflied on Saturday 24 September. Fun for everyone from 6 years to 106 years. Enjoy the beautiful sounds of soprano Anna Emelianova while enjoying a cup of coffee!

  Het Lijflied

  In Het Lijflied you enter Ina’s body and discover together with her the wonderful sound universe that her organs create. You hear typical body sounds such as the bubbling of her stomach, the beating of her amorous heart and the simmering of her intestines, but also unknown sounds such as brain waves.

  Every organ has its own music. Ina’s stomach makes mechanical music, her heart sings in a romantic nineteenth-century opera style, while her intestines make themselves heard in fits and starts in a spastic language.

  “I hope that in Het Lijflied children discover how rich and wonderful their inner world is, in which everything is connected”, says director Alma Terrasse.

  General info

  The performance starts at 2 p.m. and takes place in our own Studio Malpertuis. The entry is free, so registration is not necessary. The address of the studio is: Malpertuisplein 60, 6217 CD Maastricht. See you Saturday September 24!

  More information about Het Lijflied can you here.

• WijkJury Maastricht nominations 2022

  21 June 202212:28 Comments Off on WijkJury Maastricht nominations 2022

  Opera Zuid has housed the new District Jury Maastricht since October 2021. They visited performances in the Theater aan het Vrijthof, and had – sometimes heated – jury deliberations at our house. Despite lockdowns in the theater, our Neighborhood Jury was able to see and discuss enough to select three nominations from the performances visited…

  Whoever is the favorite will be announced in August!

  SHORTLIST

  The three nominations of WijkJury Maastricht:

  Een Meeuw, by Toneelgroep Maastricht.

  Een Meeuw is an edit of ‘De Meeuw’ van Tjechov, by Ilja Leonard Pfeiffer.

  In a setting in which the different seasons follow each other on the estate, we see a painful history of several relatives and friends who search for love and cannot find it. They seem like people who don’t really know how to live, often very funny, but also sad. It was a long sitting: 2 hours and 10 minutes without a break, but every minute of it was worth it. We saw strong actors with beautiful roles. Beautiful themes that are very recognizable to us, such as unrequited love, family ties, the meaning of life and the search for love. We really enjoyed.

  GIF, by Carine Crutzen and Stefan de Walle.

  A performance about an exciting and emotional meeting after years between two ex-partners who have lost their child. We thought it was very clever to see the two, in a decor of almost nothing but ugly funeral chairs and a gloomy winter landscape in the background, show how they slowly but surely get closer to each other on the other side of the emotional spectrum. A performance about love, too.

  It affected jurors, also because the inability to let go of a deceased was recognized. One juror says: “I wanted to know how they would do, how they go on with life.”

  Slachthuis Vijf, Theater Rotterdam.

  It is a poignant story of Billy Pilgrim who -travelling through time- relives the bombing of Dresden. The jury is impressed by the performance of the protagonist Bram Sugar, who has behaved very well for almost the entire play, and the Humanity with which he does this is striking. We were sucked into it. It is an impressive story about processing traumatic war memories in a great stage setting with blinding white and red lights, and almost aching fiery streaks of light that seem like timelines that Billy traverses…

  Thanks to it Theater aan het Vrijthof and Female Economy.

• Interview with Jan Wouters & Kristina Bitenc

  29 April 202210:39 Comments Off on Interview with Jan Wouters & Kristina Bitenc

  In the romantic opera A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the kingdom of fairy king Oberon turns into a playground for love. Oberon and Titania are the only stable relationship in this opera, where everyone falls in love with everyone. Although, stable? They fight each other out of the tent. A conversation with Jan Wouters (Oberon) and Kristina Bitenc (Titania) about love.

  How do you describe the relationship between Oberon and Titania?

  Jan: ‘Oberon mainly exercises power and wants to control everything that Titania does. He sees his wife as a tool. Everything she owns, he may own.’

  Kristina: ‘As a mother, Titania fights for the protection of her children. She is constantly on guard and doesn’t let Oberon get too close to the kids. Often that goes well and she can compete with her husband, but in Oberon’s hands she sometimes suddenly turns into a puppet doll.’

  Jan: ‘Titania cannot resist Oberon’s magic. We start as two equal characters. But Titania very quickly assumes the protective mother role, changing the hierarchy.’

  What’s it like to argue on stage?

  Jan: ‘I find anger to be the easiest emotion to play verbally. You do have to trust each other to fully immerse yourself in the music and make an argument seem real. Such a scene is very intense. I have learned to use things from my private life to convey feelings but not show the specific part of it. With two older sisters, I remember very well what arguing is like.’

  Kristina: ‘I experience arguing as a dance. One pass brings you close together, the next drives you apart. I hardly ever fight at home. So I have to look elsewhere for this emotion and come up with a situation to empathize with.’

  What makes A Midsummer Night’s Dream still relevant today?

  Kristina: ‘Shakespeare wrote A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1600, but since then the dynamics and relationships between people have hardly changed. There are also social themes in this opera that are still topical; from homophilia and pedophilia to motherhood and feminism.’

  Jan: ‘The piece shows that something can change with every snap of the fingers. The drop of magic juice is literally the drop that breaks the camel’s back or the drop of a new beginning. The opening scene with a divorce over a child is also still relevant. Parents think they are doing this out of love for their child, but that is of course not entirely true. ‘

  How do you see love yourself?

  Kristina: ‘When I see my parents, who have been together for almost 40 years, still walking hand in hand, I believe in monogamous love. Love to me is trust, that you can remain yourself in a relationship and that the other makes you a better person.’

  ‘I’m monogamous too. If things are going well at home, you don’t have to look any further.’

  Jan: ‘That’s what I call love. You can feel love for many people and things; friends, children, flowers. But love can only be projected on one person. It starts with love, which can turn into infatuation.’

  Kristina: ‘Funny, I see it exactly the other way around. Infatuation can develop into love. Love follows a constant long line, in which you are sometimes in love and sometimes you are not.’

  Jan: ‘Look, then we have something to argue about.’

  INFO & TICKETS: www.operazuid.nl/amnd

  Interview: Manon Berns