About Krüs' latest opera Piratenkoningin:
"Reisopera hits the bull's eye with Pirate Queen" "Pirate Queen is a delightful production that deserves a permanent place in the opera repertoire." - Theaterkrant - ".a visit to this Pirate Queen is certainly a party." "The opera music, in which motifs of sea shanties can be found, explodes from the stage and sounds fantastic." - Musicalworld - "In ‘Pirate Queen'’ (8+) the tempo is high and the cinematic, percussive music propels the ibretto forward" - Volkskrant - |
Monique 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. Her music is available at
'Monique Krüs is zelf een sopraan die een indrukwekkende carrière achter zich heeft en precies weet wat ze met de menselijke stem kan uitdrukken.'
('Monique Krüs herself is a soprano who has had an impressive career and knows exactly what she can express with the human voice.') 'Youth opera with heartwarming music', 'Anne's Theme on the viola is very moving' 'Monique Krüs' Klangsprache ist von einer unaufdringlichen Dringlichkeit und schleicht sich auf leisen Sohlen unter die Haut' 'Krüs' flippige, originelle Partitur...ist ebenso gut zu singen, wie sie klingt' |
NEWS
A new publisher!
A new chapter in my career as a composer: I sgned 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! Masterclass at Internationaal Lied Festival Zeist
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! Anne & Zef reprise at schools in the Netherlands Mireille Bittar and Koen Masteling
as Anne & Zef
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: "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."
NRC top ten of best classical music: Pirate Queen on number 3!
The critic of Dutch National Newspaper NRC couldn't get some of the Pirate Queen's melodies out of her head!
"This show with compelling music from Monique Krüs had the wind in sails from the first minute on. Humor, adventure and emotion followed each other in rapid succession and made this a wonderfully infectious performance for everyone with (dormant) pirate dreams". Pirate Queen: Royal Theatre packed with ecstatic kids
Ahoy!! Hundreds of kids are super enthusiastic after the Pirate Queen show in The Hague, 21 October 2024.
5 more shows to go! Get your tickets here: https://reisopera.nl/programma/piratenkoningin Raving reviews for Piratenkoningin!
- Theaterkrant - Diamond choice of the critic:
"Dutch Travel Company hits the bull's eye with Pirate Queen" "Pirate Queen is a delightful production that deserves a permanent place in the opera repertoire." - NRC 5 stars: "Delightful family opera!", "...A must-see!" - Volkskrant: " ... the cinematic, percussive music propels the libretto forward" Meeting with Composer of the Netherlands 24 Oct in Amersfoort
Anne Maartje Lemereis, Composer of the Netherlands, invited Catharina Clement and me to talk about composing for voice at the Aegtenkapel in Amersfoort.
Mezzosoprano Vera Fiselier and pianist Ruud Zielhorst will perform a.o. 2 songs from my song cycle Je vis, je meurs. More info here. Premiere family opera Piratenkoningin 5 October 2024: full house!
Dag van de Componist 15 June 2024: Live NPO Klassiek interview at 14.45h With host Hans Haffmans in the studio in Utrecht
A nice portrait of me at Dutch National Radio https://www.npoklassiek.nl/uitzendingen/ntr-zaterdagmatinee/9bb98cf9-7e9a-452d-9d7c-2bdb20f81276/2024-06-15-ntr-zaterdagmatinee
My share starts at after app 45 minutes, ao 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 NEW FAMILY OPERA: Pirate Queen for the Nederlandse Reisopera /October 2024
The Nederlandse Reisopera invited me to compose a new family opera based on the theme of the Pirate Queen. on a sparkling libretto by Daniel van Klaveren and Xandra Knebel. A co-production with Theater Sonnevanck in Enschede and Rose Stories in Amsterdam.
WIth a dream cast: Francis van Broekhuizen, Lilian Farahani and Aylin Sezer in the leadroles. With Daniel van Klaveren, director and Libia Hernandez, conductor. More information at my publisher Lunam Publishing Premiere October 5, 2024, tour through Holland. Nachtegaal en de Keizer/ Nightingale and the Emperor May 7, Vleuten
Utrechts Requiem 4th Edition, tour through Hollland / Nov. 10 Utrecht
The Utrechts Requiem is a wonderful initiative by director Ellen Blom. Stories of people who had a bad start in life and found the strength to make something of it are set to music. This November will be the fourth edition,' Kanaries'. Krüs already created several compositions in 2019 and 2021, now followed by 'Huis van de rijzende zon' on a text by Herman van Tongerloo. With the Postland Ensemble.
More info and playlist here Suite of the Sea String Quartet on tour in Holland
NOW AVAILABLE: Eingefangene Zeit two songs for high voice and piano
Poet-laureate Doris Runge, in Germany well-known, developed a style that reminds Dutch people of Vasalis., whose work I admire a lot. To put some of Runge's poems to music only seemed a logical step. 2 poems: es ist spät and the very passionate sommer are available now for high voice and piano at Lunam Publishing.
Tenor Eric Reddet and pianist Abigail Richards made a wonderful live recording of both songs. Eurovision Song Contest: The Quiz! May 9/11/13, 2023
NOW AVAILABLE: Je vis, je meurs song cycle for high voice and piano
CD La Lumiere with Je vis. je meurs NOW ON SPOTIFY / January 2023
Utrecht Magnificat in Domkerk / Dec. 10, 2022
After the tremendous success at the premiere
on September 11, 2022 the oratorium Utrecht Magnificat will now be performed bij the famous choir of the Domcantorij and orchestra on December 10, 2022 in the Dom Cathedral in Utrecht. Soloists Esther Kouwenhoven, soprano and Merel van Schie, alto will join again. Conductor is Remco de Graas. Entrance is free, the concert will start at 15.30 and the Magnificat is app 25 minutes. More information on the site of the Domcantorij CD Release La Lumière with a.o. Je vis, je meurs /Dec. 1, 2022
Dutch soprano Bauwien van der Meer was inspired by Lili Boulanger's Pie Jesu with its unusual orchestration and invited 3 female composers to arrange or compose (Je vis, je meurs.) for the same setting. This powerful combination was recorded at the Orgelpark Amsterdam and is available from December 1st on at Etcetera Records.
Volkskrant review: Van der Meer can make full use of her broad expressiveness in Je vis, je meurs, three intense songs by Monique Krüs. Read the whole review here. Utrecht Magnificat premiere / September 11, 2022
The Bachcantate-diensten in Utrecht (NL) invited me to write an oratorium on the liturgical text of the Magnificat to celebrate their 55th anniversary and also the 900th birthday of the city of Utrecht.
For mixed choir, soprano, alto and symphonic orchestra. September 11, 2022 will be the premiere in the Geertekerk in Utrecht. Equinox at poem collection presentation / September 1, 2022
2 Songs on poems by Doris Runge, German poet-laureate / April 10, 2022
Anne & Zef with the Residentie Orkest in The Hague / April 2022.
In the Theatre Hall of Amare, the brand new music temple in The Hague, Anne & Zef will be performed April 24th, 2022 in the original staging by Corina van Eijk. Schoolperformances on April 21/22.
With Mireille Bittar as Anne and Benjamin de Wilde as Zef. The composer will conduct herself and she is looking forward to it! Tickets: Amare Den Haag Read more about the opera here New commission for soprano Bauwien van der Meer / April 30, 2022 Louise Labé (1524 - 1566)
Highly talented soprano/conductor/organizer Bauwien van der Meer invited me to compose a song cycle for soprano, string quartet, harp and organ. An unusual but very interesting instrumentation, also used bu Fauré in his Requiem. Part of which will be sung by Bauwien in the same concertseries, with the premiere on April 30, 2022. Text of the cycle is by Louise Labé, a French poet from the 16th century who created her own society of poets, 'l'Ecole de Lyon'.
Check the playlist! Nachtegaal en de Keizer in Utrecht November 21, 2021 and season 21/22
Utrecht Requiem 3rd edition: premiere September 19, 2021
2 years ago I wrote 2 parts of the Utrecht Requiem 2nd Edition. Stories of Utrecht citizens who struggled with life but found a new way to look forward. Sept 19 the 3rd edition will see its premiere in Utrecht, Podium Oost for which I wrote 2 pieces. Check their site for concerts.
Amsterdam Opera Choir: Masterclasses
The Amsterdam Opera Koor with whom I have done some wonderful concerts, invited me for 2 masterclasses. What a pleasure! Working on a.o. L'Elisir d'amore we had a lot of fun!
Commission for the Kreisler Quartet: String Quartet Sea Suite
 Elisabeth Perry, concert master of the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra
June 22, 2021 my first string quartet Sea Suite (8'30) had its premiere by the wonderful musicians of the Kreisler Quartet, with renowned Elisabeth Perry as first violinist.
Three parts: Seashells, Coral, Starfish: A calm, mediterranean sea, seashells are dancing on the shore - Coral on the bottom of the ocean, quiet, fish are swimming aroound it - the Starfish floats relaxed in the water, it twists and turns. Leader music for Art Show on hidden treasures
The Nightingale and the Emperor: performances in June and July 2021
 Photo @Ronald Knapp
De Nachtegaal en de Keizer, family show of the famous fairy tale with Karin Strobos and musicians from the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra will be performed again from June 2021 on.
Check the Speellijst of the Appeltaartconcerten Michael and Jabiz win prize with Denkend aan Holland!
 Jabiz Hafizi and Michael Wilmering
Talented pianist Jabiz Hafizi and baritone Michael Wilmering performed my Denkend aan Holland on the famous poem by Hendrik Marsman, during a concert for the Dutch Embassy in Iran, November 2020. It was also an Online Competition Challenge and they won!
Denkend aan Holland was originally written for male choir The Gents and premiered September 2019. The Nightingale and the Emperor world premiere Sept. 28th 2020
The Appeltaartconcerten (Apple Crumble Concerts), music for the elderly and people who cannot come to a concert hall with free coffee and apple pie in the break, invited me to create The Nightingale and the Emperor, my Covid - proof version of the famous fairytale The Chinese Nightingale by Andersen.
A 40 minute composition for a singer/narrator, viola, bassoon and piano. September 28th the premiere took place in Utrecht with a spectacular Karin Strobos as narrator/singer and musicians from the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra. Watch the trailer here 'Morning Light' new work for women's choir a capella
Zembla Music in Amsterdam launched and funded a wonderful initiative: women composers write for women's choir. I am one of them with Morning Light, from October 2020 on available on www.DutchChoirMusicNOW.nl.
Slotkoor sings Denkend aan Holland July 25th in Utrecht
Piedra de Luz at Dutch Opera Concert June 28th
Baritone Michael Wilmering wrote the very personal text for Steen van Licht/Piedra de Luz, a song I composed for his staged recital 'Grenze(n)loos' (2017). Now with Covid-19 measures loosening up a bit, Michael is performing at the Dutch Opera on Sunday the 28th of June.
New work for Music for Empty Spaces, Muziekgebouw May 28th
Composer and organiser Heather Pinkham invited 11 composers to write for Music for Empty Spaces, a live/online concert. I composed No one is an island'for baritone and soundtrack on a text by author Xandra Knebel, who was inspired by John Donne and Samuel T.Coleridge. Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ will host, Radio 4 will broadcast (video and audio) on May 28, 2020 at 20.00h.
String quartet for Appeltaart Concerten
Anne & Zef at Opera Spanga (NL) Summer 2020 CANCELLED
'Anne & Zef' my opera for 12+ about Anne Frank who meets teenager Zef in the afterlife. will unfortunately not be performed this Summer. The original brilliant staging by Corina van Eijk will be back in the Netherlands in Season 21-22 in Den Haag with the Residentie Orkest.
Until then: watch the trailer and read more about the opera here. New composition for women's choir: Equinox
Author, journalist, poet Miek Smilde wrote a cycle of strong, emotional poems (in Dutch, translation in English coming up). I added the music for women's choir / ensemble and piano. Have a look at the preview
Now available at Lunam Publishing Soprano solo with Dordrecht Opera Choir March 22, 2020 POSTPONED
Last year I joined the Dordrecht Opera Choir for a wonderful concert filled with music by Verdi. This Summer I'll sing Verdi again (a.o. Pace, pace from La Forza), beautiful scenes from I Due Foscari and from Le Villi, Puccini. With Martijn Sanders and Harald Quaaden, conducted by Peter Schlamilch.
Check later for the exact date! Erdnüsschen in Düsseldorf, March 4 2020
Versatile Sinfonia VivazzA from Cologne will perform 'Erdnüsschen, das Abenteur im Tierpark', (original title 'Apenootje' written for the Rotterdam Philharmonic) in Düsseldorf March 4, 2020.
Kids are participating in the show by singing along with the finale and by drawing a Phantasy-animal, inspired by the music and used in the performance. More shows in Germany coming up! Denkend aan Holland by The Gents finale of their tour on Feb.14, 2020
The official 'Denkend aan Holland' tour of The Gents will come to an end in the Pieterskerk, Utrecht with my 'Denkend aan Holland' on one of the most famous Dutch poems: 'Herinnering aan Holland' by Hendrik Marsman.
Hong Kong: more Anne & Zef on Dec 8, 2019
After 3 impressive shows in Tai Kwun, Hong Kong Island, now Anne & Zef is on the location where the whole idea of bringing the opera to Hong Kong started, Ping Che. A so called mural village in the North of Hong Kong, where a beautiful mix has grown between the artists in the village and the 'normal' villagers. Many paintings and sculptures can be found and now Sze Ka Yan, artictisc director of the Fragrant Village, adds music theatre projects to the list. Anne & Zef is one of the first.
Soprano solo with Amsterdam Opera Choir Dec 1st, 2019
An opera concert with one of the best opera choirs in the Netherlands, always a pleasure!
Well-known and lesser known but also beautiful repertoire from a.o. Donizetti and Rossini as well as scenes from Cavalleria and Pagliacci conducted by Ago Verdonschot, who also sang the baritone solo parts. The Dominicus Church in Amsterdam welcomed an enthousiastic audience on Sunday, Dec. 1st. Tai Kwun, Hong Kong: Anne & Zef
In Cultural Centre Tai Kwun, a former prison in Hong Kong, Anne & Zef was performed by Joyce Law and Lam Kwok Ho with Ensemble Traversée conducted by energetic Vicky Shin. Sublte staging by Wiki Lo. 3 shows with an emotional audience and 1 more show to go in the The Fragrant Village, Ping Che, in the North of Hong Kong, near the Chinese border. I was lucky to be present in Tai Kwun, with support from the FPK in the Netherlands.
Hong Kong: workshop, lecture and Anne & Zef
New adventures in Asia:
Workshop, lecture and yes, Anne & Zef, performed by the Fragrant Village from Hongkong on November 23/24 at the Tai Kwun Centre of Cultural Heritage and December 8 in the Fragrant Village outside of Hongkong City. 'We komen eraan' new St Maarten song for Utrecht
Lunam, ne quidem Lunam at Festival Vocallis
Festival Vocallis asked renowned voice teacher Mya Besselink to program the opening night of this year's edition. Theme is 'Woman' and the concert has only female composers on its list.
I had the honour to be one of them. Kim Savelsbergh and Abigail Richards will perform my 'Lunam, ne quidem Lunam', a work which I wrote for the International Vocal Competition in Den Bosch. October 26th 2019, 20.00h at the Conservatory Maastricht. Good times with Rossini!
Opera Choir VIva la Musica in Uden invited me to sing the soprano lead in a unique all-Rossini-programme.
Ago Verdonschot conducts and sings the baritone parts! Scenes from a.o. Barbiere, Maometto II, Viaggio a Reims and Guillaume Tell. Join us on Sunday October 20th in the Kruisherenkapel in Uden, 14.00h Anne & Zef new production in HONGKONG has started!
The Fragrant Village, a innovative theatre company in HONG KONG has started with the rehearsals for Anne & Zef, a new production with Vic Shin, conducting and Wiki Lo, directing.
They will use the English translation, but spoken dialogues will be in Cantonese! Very exciting! Performances a.o. in the famous Tai Kwun Cultural Centre on November 23/24 and in the Fragrant Village December 8th 2019. Fragrant Village HONG KONG will produce Anne & Zef November 2019
Never knew that HONGKONG had villages...
The Fragrant Village is one of them and they have a wonderful music festival, led by energetic Sze Ka Yan. They will produce a brand new staging of Anne & Zef with cast and ensemble from HongKong, shows on November 23/24 2019 and December 8/9. Of course I will be there! Commission by the City of Utrecht: a new Saint Maarten-song November 2019
 Painting of Sint Maarten
Patron of Utrecht, Saint Maarten, has his special day on November 11th.
The City of Utrecht asked me to compose a new song on a new text by Ruben van Gogh. A traditional, to be sung by everybody on St Maartens Day. Premiere on November 9 in Utrecht. The GENTS men's choir: commission for September 2019
Superb Dutch male choir The Gents invited me to write music to one of the most famous Dutch poems: 'Herinnering aan Holland'
(1936) by Hendrik Marsman. Premiere will take place September 15th 2019 at the Orgelpark in Amsterdam starting off their 'Denkend aan Holland' concert series in 2019-2020. Check their website or the flyer here for more info MORE NEWS........
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Listen to some of my works
Videos from Magnificat at the Domchurch in UtrechtZING Magazine: "Beslist een verrijking van het repertoire"
More information on the website of the publisher: Lunam Publishing
Et exsultavit
Duet: Quia respexit
Last part: Sicut locutus est - Gloria
Anne & Zef opera about Anne Frank - trailer. Recently performed in The Hague, Amare, April 2022.
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