401Concerts Nr. 1 Ducth Opera Aria's & duets 1834-1952

In 2010 René Seghers started his research project regarding operas composed by Dutch and Flemish composers. At the moment, the research for his Dutch Operas Anthology is advanced to the point where 401DutchOperas can now present its first ever live concert, which features mesmerizing examples of Seghers’ discoveries. The concert will take place on April 26, 2015 in Hoog-Keppel. While it is accessible for invitees only, there is a limited possibility to obtain one of the 20 available tickets (see below). Performers are soprano Jolien De Gendt, tenor Denzil Delaere, pianist Pieter Dhoore, and violinist Kees Hilhorst.

In the past five years, 401NederlandseOperas.nl and 401DutchDivas.nl have cooperated in their research with institutes such as Nederlands Muziek Instituut (NMI) and Jan Jaap Kassies (vm. Omroepmuziekbibliotheek). The first ever concert of 401DutchOperas.com is unique in that it features no less than 16 arias and duets from 19th and early 20th Century Dutch and Flemish operatic literature. All of them are now completely forgotten and at the same time hauntingly beautiful! These excerpts will be presented live in concert, in addition to that a partial web stream will be provided. The concert as a whole will be available to the world by means of an audio and video download (70% of the 401DutchOperas members are located outside the Benelux).

The composers and their operas

1. Ten Cate – Seïd en Palmire (1830) ‘Spoedig mijn zuster’ (Act I Aria Selima) [Jolien De Gendt]
2. Van Bree – Saffo (1834) ‘Ginter in ‘t Ionisch nat’ (Act III Lied Palaemon) [Denzil Delaere]
3. Carl Eckert – Guillaume d’Orange (1848) ‘Wenn ich mit Menschen und mit Engelszungen redete’ (Act II Aria Anna van Hove) [Jolien De Gendt]
4. Karel Miry – De dichter en zijn Droom (1872) ‘Ik bleef den geest getrouw’ (Act II Monoloog Dichter) [Denzil Delaere]
5. Baron Knigge – Philippine Welser oder die Perle von Augsburg (1873) ‘La nuit s’avance’ (Act IV Aria Philippine) [Jolien De Gendt]
6. Jan Rijken – Norma (1889) ‘Keusche Göttin’ (Act I Aria Norma) [Jolien De Gendt] *
7. Jan Rijken – Norma (1889) ‘Slotduet’ (Act III, Duet Norma, Sever) [Jolien De Gendt, Denzil Delaere] *
8. Emile von Brucken-Fock – Seleneia (1894) ‘Maneschijn muziek…. Ik gaf mij gevangen in vrouwenhanden’ (Interlude & Maanlied Heros) [Denzil Delaere, Kees Hilhorst (violin solo)]
9. Gustaaf Francies de Pauw – Bellida (1879) ‘Que les oiseau qu’il chante’ (Act I Serenade Lorenzo) [Denzil Delaere]
10. Gustaaf Francies de Pauw – Bellida (1897) ‘Ou donc aller mon Dieu’ (Air d’orphéline Bellida) [Jolien De Gendt]
11. Brandts-Buys – Micarême (1919) ‘Gott sei gedankt’ (Der junge Frau) [Jolien De Gendt]
12. Brandts-Buys – Micarême (1919) ‘Duet’ (Der junge Frau, Narr) [Jolien De Gendt, Denzil Delaere]
13. Ignace Lilien – Beatrijs (1927) 'Duet Gratiaan-Beatrijs' [Jolien De Gendt, Denzil Delaere]
14. Harry Mayer – Faust (1952) ‘Es ist so Schwul... Es war einmal ein König in Thule… Wie kommt das schöne Kästchen hier herein?’ (Act II Recitative & Aria Margerete) [Jolien De Gendt] *
      ENCORES
15. Karel Miry – Charles Quint ‘Dieu des amours’ [Denzil Delaere]
16. Karel Miry – Bouchard d’Avesnes ‘Reviens, car dans mon âme’ [Jolien De Gendt]

* The performances of excerpts of Jan Rijken's Norma and Harry Mayer’s Song of the King of Thule and the following Jewel aria 'Wie kommt das schöne Kästchen hier herein' from Faust are absolute world premieres. All other titles are modern day recreations of works of which – except for Bellida – not even excerpts have ever been recorded.

The performers

The concert will have a brief introduction by music philosopher René Seghers, author of the 401 Dutch Operas Anthology in the making, and artistic director of the concert. The agile lyric-dramatic soprano Jolien De Gendt with her handsome timbre and the radiant lyric tenor Denzil Delaere shall revive these works to their full splendor. Pieter Dhoore will accompany them on the piano. Naturally, De Gendt and Delaere will be Diva and Divo of the month on our 401DutchDivas website. Delaere will be the first singer to have achieved this status twice, since he was elected Divo of the Month previously, in the wake of his extraordinary appearance in the 2013 Karel Miry production of Charles Quint, by Lyrica Ghent. Violin player Kees Hilhorst was previously concertmaster of the National Travelling Opera Company. He is also concertmaster and founding member of the new orchestra 'Ensemble Esprit', and plays regularly as freelancer with the Arnhem Philharmonic Orchestra. He recorded Maurits Konings' 'Fantasie Sonata' for radio and CD with the composer at the piano.

Location, live broadcast, downloads

The location of the concert is a picturesque estate in Hoog-Keppel, near the German border past Doetinchem. There we will receive a select number of invited guests. The opening part of the concert will be broadcast live through webstream on 401DutchOperas.com, and in the days thereafter we will make the entire concert available as audio and video download. The concert will be recorded professionally.

Limited ticket availability

The exclusive concert is open to invited guests only, since it aims to establish contacts in order to further promote and secure future concerts on exclusive locations. In this way, we hope to disclose a rapidly growing part of the Dutch operatic heritage to the public. In this way, the anthology in progress will become a resounding document that points people to forgotten composers and operas that can also be enjoyed by the ears.

Sponsoring

Should you have sympathy for our quest to disclose the Dutch operatic heritage and would you like to support research and further performances/recordings, you may contact us via email or phone number below. On the website you will find sponsoring options under the button with that name.

On behalf of 401DutchOperas,

Bas ten Have
Anthony van der Heijden
René Seghers