Monique Krüs

composer

Scene from Pirate Queen (2024)

Oona (Lilian Farahani) and Grace (Francis van Broekhuizen)

Opera

Opera

Pirate Queen

75'00 | 2024 | available in Dutch / German / English

soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone, bass with chamber orchestra and sound effects

About Piratenkoningin:

"Dutch Touring Opera Company hits the bull's eye with Pirate Queen"

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

- Theaterkrant

"...to visit Pirate Queen certainly feels like a party."

"The opera music, with echoes of shanties, explodes from the stage and sounds fantastic."

- Musicalworld

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

- Volkskrant

Grace O'Malley

(Francis van Broekhuizen)

A family opera for everybody from 8 years old!

Pirate Queen

Libretto Xandra Knebel and Daniël van Klaveren

Commission Nederlandse Reisopera, Theater Sonnevanck, Dawn

Collective

Premiere 5 October 2024 in Enschede, tour through Holland

Director Daniël van Klaveren

Cast With a.o. Francis van Broekhuizen, Lilian Farahani and Aylin Sezer

In an orphanage on a rocky shore at the edge of the sea, Oona and her best friend Toby hope to be chosen every week by the visiting moms and dads. One night, the ghost of Grace O’Malley, once a notorious pirate captain, appears, the terror of the sea. Grace thinks Oona is being far too reserved. She must choose her own path and get out of the orphanage! That same night, Toby is taken by none other than the Queen - who is rumored to turn children into rabbits. Oona makes a decision. Together with Grace, she jumps on a pirate ship and sails after the Queen. Oona turns out to be a born pirate captain. They will get Toby back, but how?

More information on the site of the Nederlandse Reisopera (Dutch Touring Opera Company)

Oona climbs aboard a ship full of pirates and gets into a big fight

The Queen meets Toby in the orphanage

Trailer

The whole cast and hundreds of raving kids in The Hague

Oona and Toby are scared of Krab, the director of the Orphanage

“Water, water everywhere! The sea is all I see!” With Piratenkoningin the Nederlandse Reisopera presents together with Theater Sonnevanck and Dawn Collective a spectacular musical family show for everyone from 8 years old. A tough ensemble of eleven musicians and seven singers forms a wild and idiosyncratic pirate gang. No orchestra in the orchestra pit but playing music on the deck, in the cabin and high in the mast, braving the wild wind. They bring this adventure story about discovering who you are and where you feel at home. A story full of courage, full of doubt, full of perseverance and full of music.

Pirates Draak (Joris van Baar), Dizzy (Gitty Pregers), Mossel (Lionel van Lawrence) and Kokkie Blauwvoet (Carl Refos)

Oona (Lilian Farahani) and Grace( Francis van Broekhuizen)

Queen (Aylin Sezer), her rabbits and Oona (Lilian Farahani)

Oona in charge! The pirates Draak, Dizzy, Mossel and Kokkie Blauwvoet finally have a captain again!

Queen and her rabbits

© photos: Sanne Peper

© 2026 Monique Krüs

All rights reserved