Mariken
in the garden of delights
Mariken in the Garden of Delights premiered on 11 October 2015 in the Royal Theatre of The Hague
In 2015, OPERA2DAY presented Mariken in the Garden of Delights, a new opera based on the story of Mariken van Nieumeghen. Exactly 500 years ago, the first version of this ‘mystery play’ was printed in Antwerp. Through the course of time, the story has by no means lost its power: it belongs irrefutably to the canon of Dutch culture. In their opera, OPERA2DAY retold this moving and intense tale in a new and gripping manner as a collaboration with several notable partners: het Nationale Toneel, Asko|Schönberg and Cappella Amsterdam. Composer Calliope Tsoupaki wrote the score.
The girl who 'lived seven years with the devil'
In the opera, we follow the curious but also vulnerable Mariken on a journey through a sinister world. She encounters some intriguing characters including a shrew of an aunt, a seductive devil and an inquisitorial pope. In analogy to the triptych ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’ by Hieronymus Bosch (a contemporary of Mariken van Nieumeghen) she departs from 'The Closed Court' near Nijmegen to arrive in 'The Garden of Earthly Delights' of Antwerp city life, in which she spends seven years with the devil leading a lavish life. Eventually, searching for ‘Repentance’, she ends up in the Cloister of the White Nuns in Maastricht. She lives there in chains, praying for deliverance.
Calliope Tsoupaki: the 'Monteverdi of the 20th century'
Concept and stage direction are in the hands of Serge van Veggel, the artistic director of OPERA2DAY. For the libretto he worked closely together with dramaturg Karim Ameur (Nationale Theater). Calliope Tsoupaki composed the score. The New York Times described her work as ‘dizzyingly beautiful’ and TM Magazine described her as the ‘Monteverdi of the twentieth century’.
Mariken: an actress amongst the singers
A special form was devised for this opera. The leading role of Mariken is played by the winner of the Dutch Film Award (Gouden Kalf) Hannah Hoekstra, a Nationale Theater-actress amongst the singers. We follow Mariken, a spoken role, on her path through a world full of singing characters: Harry van der Kamp (uncle), Jill Feldman (aunt), Julian Podger (the devil), Michael Chance (the pope) and actor Joop Keesmaat (narrator).
Different sound universes melt together in this opera. The instrumental music will be performed by the musicians of Asko|Schönberg, a leading ensemble for contemporary music, together with Tetraktys Ensemble, specialists in music of the Middle Ages. In addition, the female singers of Cappella Amsterdam performed as a choir with some soloistic elements the souls of all the Marikens in the world. All are under the musical direction of Hernán Schvartzman.
World première in The Hague, followed by a tour throughout The Netherlands
Mariken in the Garden of Delights premiered on Sunday 11th October in the Royal; Theatre of The Hague, where five performances were given. Following this, the production toured throughout the country with a total of 20 performances in 16 cities.
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Co-producers
het Nationale Toneel
Asko|Schönberg
Cappella Amsterdam
Made possible thanks to...
Photos
SUMMARY
Mariken grows up with her uncle, near Nijmegen. Her uncle sends her to town to go shopping. Darkness falls and she cannot return home anymore. She knocks on the door of her aunt who calls her a dirty slut. Mariken is left desperate on the streets and surrenders herself into the hands of ‘god or devil’. The devil Moenen shows up and promises to teach her all sciences and all languages in exchange for her love.
Moenen and Mariken travel to Antwerp where, for seven years, they live a life of murder and lust. As time passes, Mariken, who must now go by the name of Emmeken, longs to return home and give up her sinful life. The turning point is a pageant in which God considers inflicting a heavier punishment on mankind for their sins, but is convinced by Mariken’s namesake, Mary, to be merciful. She turns away from Moenen. In revenge, he throws her up into the air, allowing her to crash down to earth.
In the third act, we meet the now elderly Mariken, who has been doing penance for decades in a cloister in Maastricht. We see how memories and visions of her life after her fall from the sky appear before her eyes. We see how her uncle finds his niece on the streets, broken but alive. Together, they seek to do penance. After visiting numerous priests, bishops and a cardinal, they find penance through an unforgiving pope who puts her in iron chains. From this moment on, Mariken is chained, until a heavenly vision of a white dove appears, setting her free.
Artistic team
Composition Calliope Tsoupaki
Libretto Karim Ameur and Serge van Veggel
Conductor Hernán Schvartzman
Stage direction Serge van Veggel
Project developer Alice Gubler
Dramaturgy Karim Ameur
Co-director pageant Meike van den Akker
Scenography Herbert Janse
Lighting design Uri Rapaport
Technical producer Ronald Tebra
Costumes Mirjam Pater
Hair and makeup Nienke Algra
Animations Brigitte Hennequin
Sound design Arne Bock
CAST
Mariken Hannah Hoekstra
Uncle Harry van der Kamp
Aunt Jill Feldman
Moenen Julian Podger
Pope Michael Chance
Narrator/pageant Joop Keesmaat
Soul of Mariken Lucie Chartin
Old Mariken Truus te Selle
Falling Mariken Femke Luyckx
Extras Hans Peter Ligthart, Martin van Rijn, René Roza, Fabian Smit, Zweitze Zwart
Asko|Schönberg
Oboe/alto oboe Marieke Schut
Bassoon Amber Mallee
Horn Serguei Dovgaliouk, Guido Rooyakkers (Oct 30)
Trombone Toon van Ulsen
Percussion Ger de Zeeuw
Singing saw (recording) Annette Scholten
Violin Jan Erik van Regteren Altena
Viola Liesbeth Steffens, Ruben Sanderse (Oct 30)
Cello Maarten Vos
Double bass James Oesi
Tetraktys Ensemble
Recorders/viella Kees Boeke
Recorders/hurdy-gurdy Tobie Miller
Recorders/harps/organetto Claire Piganiol
Cappella Amsterdam
Lucie Chartin
Andrea van Beek
Antje Lohse
Desirée Verlaan
Mariana Pimenta
Andrea Tjäder
Saturday 21 Nov 2015 - 20:15 HOUR
Stadstheater Arnhem, Arnhem
Addres: Velperbinnensingel 10
City: 6811 BP Arnhem
Phone: 026 - 443 73 43
Wednesday 18 Nov 2015 - 20:15 HOUR
SPOT Groningen (Stadsschouwburg), Groningen
Addres: Turfsingel 86
City: 9711 VX Groningen
Phone: 050-3680368
Sunday 15 Nov 2015 - 19:00 HOUR
TAQA Theater De Vest, Alkmaar
Addres: Canadaplein 2
City: 1811 KE Alkmaar
Phone: 072-5489999
Friday 13 Nov 2015 - 19:30 HOUR
Stadsschouwburg Nijmegen, Nijmegen
Addres: Keizer Karelplein 32h
City: 6511 NH Nijmegen
Phone: 024-3221100
Tuesday 10 Nov 2015 - 20:15 HOUR
Theaters Tilburg, Tilburg
Addres: Louis Bouwmeesterplein 1
City: 5038 TN Tilburg
Phone: 013 543 22 20
Saturday 07 Nov 2015 - 19:30 HOUR
Theater De Spiegel, Zwolle
Addres: Spinhuisplein 14
City: 8011 ZZ Zwolle
Phone: 0900-1435
Wednesday 04 Nov 2015 - 20:00 HOUR
Theater aan de Parade, Den Bosch
Addres: Parade 23
City: 5211 KL Den Bosch
Phone: 0900 - 3372723
Tuesday 03 Nov 2015 - 20:00 HOUR
Parktheater, Eindhoven
Addres: Elzentlaan 50
City: 5615 CN Eindhoven
Phone: 040 - 2111122
Saturday 24 Oct 2015 - 20:00 HOUR
Deventer Schouwburg, Deventer
Addres: Leeuwenbrug 2
City: 7411 TJ Deventer
Phone: 0900 3000 200
Wednesday 21 Oct 2015 - 20:15 HOUR
Flint, Amersfoort
Addres: Coninckstraat 60
City: 3811 WK Amersfoort
Phone: 033 4229 229
Saturday 17 Oct 2015 - 20:15 HOUR
Koninklijke Schouwburg, Den Haag
Addres: Korte Voorhout 3
City: 2511 CW Den Haag
Phone: 088 356 5 356
Friday 16 Oct 2015 - 20:15 HOUR
Koninklijke Schouwburg, Den Haag
Addres: Korte Voorhout 3
City: 2511 CW Den Haag
Phone: 088 356 5 356
Thursday 15 Oct 2015 - 20:15 HOUR
Koninklijke Schouwburg, Den Haag
Addres: Korte Voorhout 3
City: 2511 CW Den Haag
Phone: 088 356 5 356
Sunday 11 Oct 2015 - 14:00 HOUR
Koninklijke Schouwburg, Den Haag
Addres: Korte Voorhout 3
City: 2511 CW Den Haag
Phone: 088 356 5 356
Saturday 10 Oct 2015 - 20:15 HOUR
Koninklijke Schouwburg, Den Haag
Addres: Korte Voorhout 3
City: 2511 CW Den Haag
Phone: 088 356 5 356
Wednesday 07 Oct 2015 - 20:15 HOUR
Theater aan de Schie, Schiedam
Addres: Stadserf 1
City: 3112 DZ Schiedam
Phone: 010-2467467
SUBTITLING
The performance was sung and spoken in Dutch of the middle-ages with Dutch subtitles.
LENGHT OF THE PERFORMANCE
Duration about 2 hours and 45 minutes, including an intermission.
OPENING NIGHT
11 October 2015 The Hague