At the completion of this artistic research project, I am looking back at its beginnings and the stimulating encouragement of the lectorate of the Royal Conservatoire The Hague.
Since then, this institution has supported me and, as head of the Early Music Department, created space for research that otherwise would have been impossible.
The work presented here owes much to the fertile ground and exploratory community of fellow researchers and students. This includes those who followed the docARTES program with me, visited the Orpheus Institute incentive sessions in Ghent, and are realizing or have finished their artistic research projects at the Academy of Creative and Performing Arts at Leiden University. From this group, I thank Patrizia Bovi and Edoardo Valorz for helping me correct the Italian in the first phase of my libretto.
Though lifelong learning is the ideology of our cultural field, in my case, this principle risked drifting into infinity while passing its expiration date. I am grateful to my promotores, Henk Borgdorff and Dinko Fabris, for guiding me gently but with determination to the finale. From the time he was still a lector at the conservatoire, Henk has been my main sparring partner throughout the whole research project, and I am particularly grateful for his engagement during the realization of the opera. I equally thank him for revealing the intellectual domain of Polanyi and Gadamer.
To Dinko, I express my gratitude for introducing me to the world’s top Monteverdi scholars and inspiring me since our first meeting when preparing a Stimu-symposium at the Utrecht Festival of Early Music. Equally, thanks to him for convincing me (recently) to shape my knowledge and views into the book that is now available.
I am honoured to have had my first promotor, Frans de Ruiter, support me and to have been provoked and challenged by him during the first phase of my doctoral trajectory.
Challenge was also a vital element in the cooperation with the team of composers, whom I owe gratitude for allowing me to spend several years in their ‘kitchen’. Cornelis de Bondt added an extra dimension to my research project and helped me understand from within the position and craftmanship of composers over the centuries. Cristiano Melli’s contribution to the dramaturgy of my libretto has saved it from falling flat on several occasions. Complementary to these inputs were my conversations with friend and artistic role model Martijn Padding, who encouraged me on darker days to see that all opera always needs to keep looking at the bright side of life.
Specialist director Jos Groenier provided essential support as I worked with him on many staging ideas. I also owe him all the possible gratitude for finding the ideal cast of actors through his professional judgement and connections with the Academia Teatrale Veneta.
Director Nynke van den Bergh deserves everybody’s admiration for not only accepting the delicate job of taking over the stage direction on very short notice but also completing it with positivity in all aspects. Stage manager Pomme van Vught embedded her work in loving and careful professionalism, assisted by my multitalented daughter Sarah.
My good friend and artistic wizard Manuel Wittaszcheck created this stage, which, due to his profound understanding of opera, appeared to be the ideal and efficient moving stage set for this small-scale production, where even sound projection was considered. Saskia de Korte painted the impressive decor with the help of Sarah.
I thank Björn Ross for inviting the entire production to be performed at the Copenhagen Opera Festival, allowing a grand finale in sympathy for the entire production.
The cast of singers, Francesca Biliotti, Rosalyn Stürzer, Franciska Dukel, Raffaele Giordani and João Paixão, convinced me every time again that they could play several roles at once and lifted as I had hoped, La Tragedia di Claudio M from ‘Singspiel’ to the vocality of opera.
The influence of I Comici fedeli by their energy, flexibility, presence and creative humour, can be seen as the ultimate embodiment of my thesis, which would not have made its point without this group. They were balanced by the wonderful creation of Davide Dolores, who evoked Claudio Monteverdi's emotions and thoughts into a living human being.
My colleague instrumentalists have given this opera its colourful variety and many personal touches in the early as well the new music.
Stichting de Zaaier, the Adriana Jacoba Fonds, and Stichting Gaviniès provided great financial support for the opera's production. I have dear memories of Toos Onderdenwijngaard for her commitment, and I always appreciate Renée Jonker for his advice.
With many others, I am grateful for Daniël Brüggen’s excellent video registration of the opera.
Over the years, Martie Severt’s realism and engaged management of the Stichting Musica in Scena made invaluable peace of mind possible. I thank ACPA faculty manager Rosalien van der Poel for her pragmatism and generosity in finding the right people.
My friend Joost van Gemert proved to be an excellent editor and consultant concerning the content of my thesis, for which I thank him dearly.
Without the influence of my friend Sylvester Beelaert, my love for opera would probably not have been awakened. As my soulmate in music, wife, and truthful voice, Franciska Dukel helped me find my way throughout this immense project's entire creative process. I am indebted to her and our daughter Sarah’s forbearance while often allowing my artistic mission priority.
I thank my partner, Elise Kenter, for lovingly generating my self-confidence and creating the best environment to bring this project to an end.