The Kingdom
The Kingdom
opera in three acts
Music and libretto
Robert Robertson
Director Rufus Collins, at the Engelenbak Theatre, Amsterdam
Co-director Henk Tjon
For details of cast see below, also see
http://caribbeanantillean.weebly.com
opera in three acts
Music and libretto
Robert Robertson
Director Rufus Collins, at the Engelenbak Theatre, Amsterdam
Co-director Henk Tjon
For details of cast see below, also see
http://caribbeanantillean.weebly.com
‘The short series of performances of The Kingdom in Amsterdam is an incomparable success. At 11am, long rows
were standing in front of the box office. After one hour all performances for the whole week were sold out.’
Sonja van der Valk, Der Groene Amsterdammer, 15/2/84
‘Sometimes theatre is so full of life that one can call it a true rebirth of the theatre.
Great words, but without any doubt they apply to the music theatre piece The Kingdom.’
Wijnand Zeilstra, Leidsch Dagblad, 14/5/84
Over three thousand people attended the first production of The Kingdom, and a greater number went to see the opera on its tour of Holland - all performances were sold out, apart from in The Hague.
I based The Kingdom on Alejo Carpentier’s account of the Haïtian Revolution, The Kingdom of This World.
Inspired by surrealism, Carpentier’s idea of ‘magic realism’ first appeared in his famous introduction to this novel.
After completing the libretto, I visited the historical sites in Haïti where the events shown in the opera took place.
I travelled through mountain ranges, plains, towns, ports and villages, visiting the ruins of the palace of Sans-Souci, the Citadelle La Ferrière, and Bois Caïman.*
I learned from a master-drummer in Cap-Haïtien the complex polyrhythms of traditional Haïtian dance forms.
The names of these dances, like the Yenvalou, the Nago, the Pétro, the Ibo and the Ibo Roulé, have their origins
in the pre-colonial nations of western Africa.
In their Haïtian forms and in my hybrid variations, they form the backbone of the music I composed for The Kingdom.
In The Kingdom my aim was to produce an opera with a complete unity of music, theatre and dance, a synthesis
of African and European traditions. The opera is scored for choirs, instrumental ensembles, and electro-acoustic tape.
A company had to be created to perform The Kingdom, as no existing company had the necessary cultural range for
the work. Over a period of four months there were more than sixty workshops and rehearsals for the cast
of thirty-five. Over sixty people were involved in the production.
After its sold-out Amsterdam run, with standing ovations at every performance, The Kingdom toured Holland and was
performed in The Hague, Groningen, Leiden, Rotterdam and Utrecht. The production was filmed, and
the DNA music, theatre and dance company was set up from this production.
The film of the Amsterdam production, together with other documents, are now in the University of Amsterdam's Library, in its Special Collections section.
* this research trip was described in my book Haïtian Summer (1984).
were standing in front of the box office. After one hour all performances for the whole week were sold out.’
Sonja van der Valk, Der Groene Amsterdammer, 15/2/84
‘Sometimes theatre is so full of life that one can call it a true rebirth of the theatre.
Great words, but without any doubt they apply to the music theatre piece The Kingdom.’
Wijnand Zeilstra, Leidsch Dagblad, 14/5/84
Over three thousand people attended the first production of The Kingdom, and a greater number went to see the opera on its tour of Holland - all performances were sold out, apart from in The Hague.
I based The Kingdom on Alejo Carpentier’s account of the Haïtian Revolution, The Kingdom of This World.
Inspired by surrealism, Carpentier’s idea of ‘magic realism’ first appeared in his famous introduction to this novel.
After completing the libretto, I visited the historical sites in Haïti where the events shown in the opera took place.
I travelled through mountain ranges, plains, towns, ports and villages, visiting the ruins of the palace of Sans-Souci, the Citadelle La Ferrière, and Bois Caïman.*
I learned from a master-drummer in Cap-Haïtien the complex polyrhythms of traditional Haïtian dance forms.
The names of these dances, like the Yenvalou, the Nago, the Pétro, the Ibo and the Ibo Roulé, have their origins
in the pre-colonial nations of western Africa.
In their Haïtian forms and in my hybrid variations, they form the backbone of the music I composed for The Kingdom.
In The Kingdom my aim was to produce an opera with a complete unity of music, theatre and dance, a synthesis
of African and European traditions. The opera is scored for choirs, instrumental ensembles, and electro-acoustic tape.
A company had to be created to perform The Kingdom, as no existing company had the necessary cultural range for
the work. Over a period of four months there were more than sixty workshops and rehearsals for the cast
of thirty-five. Over sixty people were involved in the production.
After its sold-out Amsterdam run, with standing ovations at every performance, The Kingdom toured Holland and was
performed in The Hague, Groningen, Leiden, Rotterdam and Utrecht. The production was filmed, and
the DNA music, theatre and dance company was set up from this production.
The film of the Amsterdam production, together with other documents, are now in the University of Amsterdam's Library, in its Special Collections section.
* this research trip was described in my book Haïtian Summer (1984).
The Kingdom - performances at the Lantaren Theatre, Rotterdam
The Kingdom - first production
Composer and Libretto: Robert Robertson
Based on Alejo Carpentier’s novel The Kingdom of this World
Director: Rufus Collins
Co-Director: Henk Tjon
Scene Designer: Judith van Praag
Choreographer for Caribbean dances: Robert Firmin Guion
Choreographer for European dances: Patricia Teurlings
Director of Choir: Jos Schohaus
Percussionists: Robby Gillis, Robert Firmin Guion, Ponda O’Bryan
String Trio: Hermine Sterringa, Jan Rouma, Pieter Berend Oudemans
Realisation of Electroacoustic Score: Frank Grasso
Sound Projection: Marcus Hund, Artisound
Stage Managers: Ingrid Weissgerber, Broes Terwey
Lighting Design Assistant: Stephanie Johnson
Dramaturg: Ibrahim S. Aba-Baker
Production and Administration: Theater de Engelenbak
Cast: Theo van Adrichem, Nanny Anderson, Maikel Austen, Charley Barnaart, Grace Bernardus, Ruth Berretty,
Els de Boer, Marjorie Boston, Henk Dikmoet, Marlin Dumfries, Gregory Gits, Ed Gumbs, Joseph van Hetten,
Maarten van Hinte, Jeroen Jorna, Cilia Kieft, Lloyd Leeflang, Glenn Lie-Atjam, Maud Loth, Tchikito Medina,
Patrick Muller, Yvonne Ristie, Dada dos Santos, Djidje Santos, Eartha Silos, Gerald Stadwijk, Jan Stellingwerff,
Zula Verna, Esther Vroom, Tonny Vijzelman, Cleo Westerman, Enno Wiersma, Ypy Zijsling
Thanks to Paul Annee, Miriam van Asten, fa. Besouw, Denise Cremers, Alex Dijkema, Monique van der Feer,
Truus van Glazenap, Bernadette Kijzers, Loes Naus, Hilda Noltes, Lovis van Poeteren, Mevrouw van Praag,
Angelica Sluyter, Jacqueline Verhaagen, Anne van Walsum
Based on Alejo Carpentier’s novel The Kingdom of this World
Director: Rufus Collins
Co-Director: Henk Tjon
Scene Designer: Judith van Praag
Choreographer for Caribbean dances: Robert Firmin Guion
Choreographer for European dances: Patricia Teurlings
Director of Choir: Jos Schohaus
Percussionists: Robby Gillis, Robert Firmin Guion, Ponda O’Bryan
String Trio: Hermine Sterringa, Jan Rouma, Pieter Berend Oudemans
Realisation of Electroacoustic Score: Frank Grasso
Sound Projection: Marcus Hund, Artisound
Stage Managers: Ingrid Weissgerber, Broes Terwey
Lighting Design Assistant: Stephanie Johnson
Dramaturg: Ibrahim S. Aba-Baker
Production and Administration: Theater de Engelenbak
Cast: Theo van Adrichem, Nanny Anderson, Maikel Austen, Charley Barnaart, Grace Bernardus, Ruth Berretty,
Els de Boer, Marjorie Boston, Henk Dikmoet, Marlin Dumfries, Gregory Gits, Ed Gumbs, Joseph van Hetten,
Maarten van Hinte, Jeroen Jorna, Cilia Kieft, Lloyd Leeflang, Glenn Lie-Atjam, Maud Loth, Tchikito Medina,
Patrick Muller, Yvonne Ristie, Dada dos Santos, Djidje Santos, Eartha Silos, Gerald Stadwijk, Jan Stellingwerff,
Zula Verna, Esther Vroom, Tonny Vijzelman, Cleo Westerman, Enno Wiersma, Ypy Zijsling
Thanks to Paul Annee, Miriam van Asten, fa. Besouw, Denise Cremers, Alex Dijkema, Monique van der Feer,
Truus van Glazenap, Bernadette Kijzers, Loes Naus, Hilda Noltes, Lovis van Poeteren, Mevrouw van Praag,
Angelica Sluyter, Jacqueline Verhaagen, Anne van Walsum