This August and September, Holland Opera will perform Chiel Meijering’s opera ‘Bluebeard’ in the ‘Werkspoorkathedraal’ in Utrecht.
Bluebeard is the blood-curdling opera about a wealthy, mysterious man. He is both attractive and dangerous and harbors a dark secret. Young Judith is looking for a deep experience, for intensity. Bluebeard piques her curiosity. She falls for him like a baby. When he has to travel unexpectedly, he hands her the keys to his cathedral. He allows her to enter all the rooms except one. Judith is fascinated, her desire to understand the secret behind the forbidden door fuels her hunger for knowledge and wisdom.
Chiel Meijering composed works for almost every conceivable instrumentation. Many of these pieces are regularly performed at home and abroad and are written for renowned chamber music ensembles, such as the Matangi string quartet and Sinfonietta Amsterdam. The great success of his opera ‘Alzheimer’, which premiered in January 2006, meant his breakthrough with a larger theater audience. He previously composed Kwali Kuna and Styx for Holland Opera.
Joke Hoolboom made the adaptation of Bluebeard based on a text by Imme Dros, one of Holland Opera’s favorite writers. During her studies at the Amsterdam Theater School, Joke played in Mozart’s Don Giovanni conducted by Jan Willem de Vriend, who conducted his first opera. This special project marked the beginning of her interest and love for opera. She has directed dozens of youth operas and operas in special locations. She previously wrote the libretti of King Lear, Thomas and Divorce of Figaro, among others.
Melvin Fraenk graduated from the School for New Dance Development (choreography) and from the Academy for Theater & Dance Amsterdam (ATD) with a specialization in Urban Contemporary (Dance). Melvin is co-artistic director at DOX and works at the ATD as a teacher at the School for New Dance Development. Melvin previously danced in Holland Opera’s opera production the Tempest. Now he is responsible for the choreography of Bluebeard. He is also closely involved in the development of Holland Opera’s dance and music education projects together with DOX.
Douwe Hibma has been working as a permanent set designer at Holland Opera since 2005. He studied art and design at the Noordelijke Hogeschool Leeuwarden and theater design at the Utrecht University of the Arts. Since 2000, Douwe has worked as a designer and builder of theater sets. He moves between location theatre, special effects and opera. A selection of productions for Holland Opera: Uitvinders, Kersentuin, Tantes and Reinaert de V. Douwe received a silver cricket for his set design of Ruimtevlucht, a co-production of Het Houten Huis and Holland Opera.
Composers in the crosshairs of our attention