Monique Krüs

composer

Scene from Pirate Queen (2024)

"...to see Pirate Queen certainly feels like a party. ...The opera music, with echoes of shanties, explodes from the stage and sounds fantastic."

- Musicalworld -

"Pirate Queen is a delightful production that deserves a permanent place in the opera repertoire."

- Theaterkrant -

"In ‘Pirate Queen'’ (8+) the tempo is high and the cinematic, percussive music propels the libretto forward"

- Volkskrant -

NEWS

EVENTS

Krüs is a versatile composer of operas, chamber music, orchestral music, songs,

music for choir and for media.

She is also a soprano, vocal coach, conductor. More ..

The music of Monique Krüs

is available at

Donemus

New Opera Commission - premiere February 5, 2027

Stichting Appeltaartconcerten ordered a new opera! After the successful chamber opera Nachtegaal en de Keizer - performed more than 50 times - I'll compose a new opera, suited for everyone.

Libretto is by Xandra Knebel, Annechien Koerselman will do the staging. With singers Karin Strobos and Mattijs van de Woerd

we'll have a great cast!

Premiere at the Utrechtse Stadsschouwburg, February 5, 2027

2026

May and June

Utrechts Requiem

• Utrecht and surroundings

April 10 and 24

Utrechts Requiem

• Utrecht

March 20 - April 5

Volgens Maria Magdalena

Nederlands Bach Consort

Premiere, then tour

• Amsterdam, Waalse Kerk

February 16

Vrouw en Muziek

Panel discussion about women

in music

• Splendor

February 8

Utrechts Requiem - Spiegels

Premiere in TivoliVredenburg

then tour

• Utrecht

2025

November 20 / 29

Utrechts Requiem

Try-outs

4th edition

• Utrecht

May 17

Masterclass

International Lied Festival

• Zeist (Nl)

May 5 - 20

Anne & Zef

Reprise in schools and

City hall of Wolvega(Nl)

2024

Piratenkoningin

Première

October 5 Wilminktheater Enschede

Tour through the Netherlands

2023

November 17 and 24

Zee Suite

String Quartet

with the Kreissler String Quartet

Appeltaartconcerten

•Van Houten Kerk Weesp

• Zonnehuis, Amsterdam

November 10

Utr echts Requiem 4th Edition

Premiere of 'Huis van de rijzende zon'

Postland Ensemble

• Bibliotheek Neude, Utrecht

Tour through Holland season 23-24

October 10

Zee Suite

String Quartet

with the Kreisler String Quartet

Appeltaartconcerten

• Zimihc Theater Stefanus Utrecht

• De Schakel, Vleuten

2022

December 10

Utrecht Magnificat

Oratorium written for Utrecht 900

Domcantorij, soloists, orchestra

• Domkerk Utrecht

December 1

CD Release La Lumière

Bauwien van der Meer and friends

With Je vis, je meurs

•Etcetera Records

December 1

Erdnüsschen

Music theatre for kids

with Sinfonietta Vivazza

• Köln, Kulturbunker

September 11

Utrecht Magnificat

Oratorium written for Utrecht 900

mixed choir, soloists, orchestra

• Geertekerk Utrecht

September 1

Equinox

Part of cycle for women choir on poems

by Miek Smilde.

Performed by choir The Angels

• Waalse Kerk, Amsterdam

July 20

Je vis, je meurs

song cycle on 3 sonnets by French poet

Louise Labé for soprano, harp, organ

and string quartet

• Haarlem, Philharmonie

June 15

Utrecht Magnificat

Preview of the oratorium written for

Utrecht 900 for mixed choir,

soloists, orchestra

• Domkerk Utrecht

April 30

Je vis, je meurs

Premiere of the song cycle on 3 sonnets

by French poet Louise Labe for

soprano, harp, organ and string quartet

• TivoliVredenburg

tour through Hollland

April 24

Anne & Zef public performance

April 21/22 school performances

Residentie Orkest conducted by

Monique Krüs

• Amare, Den Haag

April 10

Eingefangene Zeit

Premiere of 2 songs from song cycle on

poems by German poet Doris Runge

Eric Reddet, tenor and

Abigail Reddet, piano

• Voorhaven Concerten Edam

April 1 and 22

Utrechts Requiem

Postland Ensemble,

Utrechts Requiem Kwartet

• Check their website

March 25

Denkend aan Holland

Utrechts Kamerkoor

• Pieterskerk Utrecht

Utrechts Requiem - 5th Edition, watch on Youtube

For the Utrechts Requiem, - the Spiegels Edition -

I composed Onzichtbare Kracht for 5 singers and clarinet/bass clarinet, bayan, violin and contrabass.

Kurdish-Dutch poet Baban Kirkuki wrote a beautiful poem about Mark, his struggles, and the turning point in life that made him focus on a positive future again.

Postland Ensemble at the premiere on February 8 in Tivoli Utrecht

Utrechts Requiem - 5th Edition

The Utrechts Requiem is an initiative whose protagonists are people who wish to participate fully in our society but for whom the door often remains closed. In this jubilee edition they appear on stage themselves, alongside professional singers and top musicians, to bring their life stories into the spotlight in the concert series Spiegels. Seven writers contributed poems, seven renowned composers wrote the music.

Postland Ensemble at the premiere on February 8 in Utrecht

New publisher: Donemus Publishing

With Davo van Peursen, CEO of Donemus

A new chapter in my career as a composer: I signed with Donemus, a household name for Dutch music in the Netherlands as well as internationally. Some team members I've known personally for quite some time, so it feels very familiar to start working with them. Their recent initiative CoCommmissions Network which focusses on collaboration and co-producing is exactly what I need as an opera composer. CEO Davo van Peursen and I are celebrating with a decent glass of cava!

Check their website for the latest on Dutch Music

Masterclass on Lunam, ne quidem Lunam at Liedfestival

With Margarita Celmina

and Jose Cavalete

The Internationaal Lied Festival Zeist invited me for a masterclass about my lied Lunam, ne quidem Lunam, commissioned in 2016 as compulsory work by the International Vocal Competition Den Bosch.Inspiration for the composition was the famous Jeroen Bosch painting The Garden of earthly delights, the right and darkest panel. May 17, 2025 I got to work with supertalented liedduo Margarita Celmina and José Cavalete, students of the Maastricht Liedklas. and had an wonderful conversation with Leo Samama about my work as an introduction. A fantastic afternoon!

Mireille Bittar as Anne and

Koen Masteling as Zef

Reprise Anne & Zef in the Netherlands

Ten years and many new productions after the premiere,Anne & Zef is back in the Netherlands with performances at schools. With Mireille Bittar as Anne and Koen Masteling as Zef. In the wonderful original staging by Corina van Eijk, artistic leader of Opera Spanga: "This May we will be performing Anne & Zef by Monique Krüs and Ad de Bont. We have had this moving and important performance in our repertoire for 10 years now. Reflect on 80 years of freedom in the spring of 2025 with this moving and relevant performance that tells the story of the Jewish Anne and the Islamic Zef, two teenagers who share their dreams and fears."

Francis van Broekhuizen as Pirate Queen

FAMILY OPERA: Pirate Queen - Premiere in Enschede (NL), full house!

"Dutch Touring Opera Company hits the bull's eye with Pirate Queen." Pirate Queen, Krüs' latest opera, had its premiere at the Wilminktheater in Enschede, on 5 October 2024 with a full house and raving reviews! With 3 of Krüs' favorite sopranos: Francis van Broekhuizen, Lilian Farahani and Aylin Sezer in the leadroles. Libretto by Xandra Knebel and Daniel van Klaveren. Tour through the Netherlands, more information here.

NEW FAMILY OPERA: Pirate Queen - Nederlandse Reisopera / Oct 2024

The Nederlandse Reisopera invited Krüs to compose a new family opera based on the theme of the Pirate Queen. A co-production with Theater Sonnevanck and Dawn Collective. With a dream cast: Francis van Broekhuizen, Lilian Farahani and Aylin Sezer in the leadroles. Libretto by Xandra Knebel and Daniel van Klaveren.

With Daniel van Klaveren, director and Anu Tali/Kent Moussault, conductor. More information here

Premiere October 5, 2024, tour through Holland.

Lilian Farahani and

Francis van Broekhuizen

Dag van de Componist 15 June 2024: Live NPO Klassiek interview at 14.45h

With host Hans Haffmans

A nice portrait of me at Dutch National Radio during the Day of the Composer. My share starts appr. around 14.45h.

With host Hans Haffmans I talked about my career as a soprano, making the switch to fulltime composer and about my latest opera The Pirate Queen for the Dutch Travel Opera Company with a.o Francis van Broekhuizen and Lilian Farahani. Check the playlist:

https://www.npoklassiek.nl/gedraaid/15-06-2024?time=14_15

https://www.npoklassiek.nl/gedraaid/15-06-2024?time=15_16