Welcome to the website of Annechien Koerselman

stage director and playwright in Drama, Music Theatre & Opera

Annechien Koerselman (1976) graduated at the Academy of Dramatic Arts Maastricht, specialization stage direction.

Since she has worked as a stage director in Drama, Music Theatre and Opera in the Netherlands and abroad.

Furthermore, she writes scripts, adapts novels for the stage and translates plays.

Sometimes she also designs the light and/or set and/or costumes and/or video for the performances she stages.

With some regularity Annechien is also providing various organizations artistic and productional advice, commissioned by them

she writes applications for cultural subvention and is working as a dramaturge at several (music)theatre- and dance productions.

Last of all, she teaches as freelance drama teacher within her workingfield.

Currently

Photo © Anne Claire de Breij

In December 2023, the world-famous harpist Lavinia Meijer and Wishful Singing, the Netherlands' most famous female a cappella ensemble will go on tour. They will perform the moving Christmas story The Little Match Girl Passion by David Lang (after the famous fairy tale by Hans Cristiaan Andersen) and the well-known, atmospheric A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten. Annechien is responsible for the lightdesign for this Christmas programme, in which beauty and compassion come together. Premiere November 30, 2023. More information: THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL PASSION.

Design © Studio Rrook

At the request of vocal ensemble The Gents, Annechien will do the final staging for it's new program The Sound of Light. A concert in which not only the origin of light is sung, but also what light does to people will be reflected on. Premiere October 08, 2023. More information:THE SOUND OF LIGHT.

Poster © Grrr / Painting © Vincent van Gogh

Reed quintet Calefax brings artist Vincent van Gogh musically and theatrically to life in a visual musical journey about following your heart. In Van Gogh's Way to Go! we follow painter Vincent van Gogh along the path where his passion for art, without regard for any conventions, took him. Annechien is responsible for the concept, stage direction, the video and lightdesign.Premiere February 24, 2023 in Amsterdam. More info: VAN GOGH'S WAY TO GO!

Photo © nnb

The secret Book of Caioni is an interactive quest for an ancient musical treasure: the most beautiful music collected by the monk Caioni in the 17th century, from Monteverdi and di Lasso till exciting Romanian dances. To reveal the Caioni codex, there are musical riddles to be solved and codes to be cracked. Annechien is stage director and designs the video. Premiere February 13, 2023 in Almere (NL). More info: THE SECRET BOOK OF CAIONI

Photo © Ronald Knapp

In 2012 The Musicfactory by Calefax Reed Quintet, which Annechien staged and for which she wrote the script as well, won the Junge Ohrenpreis. Since then the performance literally crosses the world, because the only "spoken" language is music, a language everyone speaks. In 2020 the Musicfactory will be performed again for one time in the Netherlands. More information: THE MUSIC FACTORY

Poster © Arrow Films

As a Christmas surprise for their parents, the gnome children Vesta and Diana want to decorate a pine tree, but in the process they accidentally turn King Winter's land upside down. Oh Tree of Wonder is a non-verbal, participatory music theater production for the whole family (ages 4 and up). Annechien took care of the creation of concept, script, music dramaturgy, stage direction and lightdesign. More information: OH TREE OF WONDER.

Lightdesign

NOAH, THE (ALMOST) LAST BEAVER
OH TREE OF WONDER

Oh Tree of Wonder

Fotografie © Nina Ball

CREW

Idea: Sara Franchini & Veronika Prünster

Concept, Stage direction & Script: Annechien Koerselman

Musical dramaturgy: Annechien Koerselman, Sara Franchini & Veronika Prünster

Set- & Costumedesign: Nina Ball

Lightdesign: Annechien Koerselman

Tonkünstler Muziekeducation: Lena Jäger (2020) / Sara Franchini (2022)

Organisation: Tonkünstler Wien (AT)

premiere November 14, 2022, Festspielhaus St. Pölten (AT)

CAST

Piccolo, Singing & Acting: Sara Franchini (Vesta)

Flute, Singing & Acting: Veronika Prünster (Diana)

Tuba & Acting: Michael Pircher (King Winter Inverno)

Trumpet & Acting: Thomas Bachmair (Prince Primavera)

Horn & Acting: Simon Aiglstorfer (Summerking Estate)

Trombone & Acting: Andreas Eitzinger (Count Autumn Autunno)

Panambí

Photography © Pijpers

CREW

Idea: Orchestra Nieuw Geluid

Composition: Alberto Ginastera, Bizet, Saint-Saëns, Fauré, Dorati a.o..

Conductor: Ali Groen

Concept & Stage direction: Annechien Koerselman

Video & Graphical design: Nanna Spakler

Recording technics & soundscape: Jaap van Stenis

Costumes & make-up: Marieke Posthuma de Boer-Dubbers

Light: Annechien Koerselman & Maurits Koelen

Technics: Maurits Koelen

Theaterexperience: Terry Brochard & Nadine Rodewijk

Executive Producers: Lesley Jacobs, Misja Krebbeks, Marike Richters

Organisation: Nieuw Geluid The Hague

premiere April 01, 2016, Theater De Nieuwe Regentes, The Hague

CAST

Orchestra: Nieuw Geluid

Rui Matos, Patricia Klock (piccolo), Marike Richters, Cátia Domingos, Carolien Noorduijn-Bakker (flute), Lesley Jacobs, Alex van der Linde, Gema Lara (oboe), Martine Vink (English horn), Ingrid Bonnet, Marceline Blangé, Martine Reurings (bassoon, Maartje van der Kluit (contrabassoon), Jonie Pijpers (Esclarinet), Ria Boeijen, Anne Overpelt, Maartje Zuidema, Vincent Martig (soloclarinet), Misja Krebbeks, Masha den Hartog, Jurjen de Jong (1st clarinet), Vincent Fleurke, Philo Heijnen, Willemijn Scholvinck, Ben Schueler, Rietje Maas (2nd clarinet), Ad van der Steid, Anne van der Does, Anneke Simonis, Netty Bruekers, Paul Verlaan, Wijnand Advokaat (3rd clarinet), Jaap van Stenis, Hetty Burgers, Richard Leveling (bassclarinet), Emma Jones, Jim Brinkman, Marijn Schraagen (altosaxophone), Ariana Cunha, Gido Broer (tenorsaxophone), Simao Ramos (baritonsaxophone), Maria Skandali, Gulce Sucular, Franca Post, Junya Nomura, Aster Leegwater, Thomas Guirten (cello), Julian Sarmiento Escobar, Yuan Go, Norbert Roozenburg, Peter van Kruistum (double bass), Joachim Adriaanse, Nadine Rodewijk, Margriet van der Wel, Erwin Weites (horn), Tommy Hopstaken, Lenneke Lucassen, Sander Broos, René Mahieu (trumpet), Corine Duinkerke, André Kouwenhoven, Floris van Daalen (trombone), Leonie Kruik, Gerwin Stolze (Euphonium), Koos Schut, Fernando Cid (tuba), Joachim Lubberts (timpani), Frans Asselman, Natalia Alvarez, Marieke Posthuma de Boer-Dubbers, Rik Claessens, Janneke Goosens, Margreth van der Lugt, Ricardo Oliviera, Henk-Jan Oosterhuis (percussion), Renske Beetstra, Diana Storm (harp), Clara Gil Hernandez (celesta), Tia Iskander (piano)

PANAMBÍ

Par!s! Par!s!

Photography © Anja Koehler & Benno Hunziker

CREW

Idea: Die Schurken

Stage direction & Script: Annechien Koerselman

Set- & Costumedesign: Nina Ball

Lightdesign: Annechien Koerselman i.c.w. Nina Ball

Additional new compositions: Marcus Nigsch

Producer & Organisation: Die Schurken, Bregenz

premiere June 17, 2018 Philharmonie Luxembourg

CAST

Clarinet, Acting: Martin Schelling

Trumpet, Acting: Stefan Dünser

Accordion, Acting: Goran Kovacevic

Double bass, Acting: Martin Deuring

PAR!S! PAR!S!

Pictures at an Exhibition WDR Dackl

Photography © WDR

CREW

Composition: Modest Mussorgsky

Text: Carsten Haffke

Conductor: Cristian Măcelaru

Stage direction: Annechien Koerselman

Props: Barbara Cibis

Set: Nina Pöting & Annechien Koerselman

Light: Chris Sroka i.Z.m. Annechien Koerselman

WDR Musiceducation: Katharina Höhne

Editor KiRaKa: Susanne Kuttler

Producer: West Deutscher Rundfunk Cologne

premiere January 29, 2019, WDR Rundfunkhaus Cologne

CAST

Puppeteer: Carsten Haffke

Moderation: Isabel Hecker

Orchestra: WDR Sinfonieorchester

PLANETERNA
ROTONDE

Sing Strong Concert

Photography © Jimmy Israel (Nijmegen), Erwin van Kester (Utrecht) & Screenshots Livestream

CREW

Concept: Wishful Singing (vocal female quintet)

Stage direction: Annechien Koerselman

Recording: Nico de Voogd (camera), Jaap Schledorn (sound) (Nijmegen), Jorg Schellekens (Utrecht)

Set- & Lightdesign: Annechien Koerselman

Production: Kees Kaya (Nijmegen), Erik Laarman (Nijmegen, Utrecht)

Business manager: Anne-Christine Wemekamp (Nijmegen), Jojanneke Poorter (Utrecht)

Organisation: Stichting Wishful Singing, Amsterdam i.c.w. De Vereeniging Nijmegen & TivoliVredenburg Utrecht

premiere July 16, 2021, De Vereeniging Nijmegen (Summerconcert)

Premiere March 11, 2023, TivoliVredenburg Utrecht (Sing along concert)

CAST

Singing: Anne-Christine Wemekamp (1st soprano)

Singing: Maria Goetze (2nd soprano)

Singing: Marleen van Os (mezzo-soprano)

Singing: Stella Brüggen (1st alto)

Singing: Marjolein Stots (2nd alto)

Guest singers: Damani Leidsman, Madhu Lalbahadoersing (Nijmegen), Mireille Bittar (Utrecht)

Pianist: Bert van den Brink

Singing teachers: Nicole Fiselier, Carina Vinke, Janneke Boomsma, Leonore Engelbrecht (Nijmegen)

SING STRONG!
SOMETHING ANIMALISTIC

Something animalistic

Photography © Ben Knabe

CREW

Text: Anke Engelke, Leona Frommelt

Conductor: Enrico Delamboye

Stage direction: Annechien Koerselman

Costumedesign: Romy Reinfeld

Animations: Hardy Hoffmann

Setdesign: Anja Dublanka

Lightdesign: Annechien Koerselman & Axel Halbreiter

WDR education: Mirjam von Jarzebowski

Organisation: West Deutscher Rundfunk Cologne

premiere november 28, 2019, WDR Rundfunkhaus Cologne (D)

CAST

Moderation: Anke Engelke, André Gatzke

Orchestra: WDR Funkhausorchester

Space

Photography © WDR (Livestream)

CREW

Text: Simone Höft, Natascha Breuers. Contributions: Anke Engelke, Leona Frommelt

Conductor: Enrico Delamboye

Stage director: Annechien Koerselman

Setdesign: Anja Dublanka

Costumedesign: Romy Reinfeld

Animations: Hardy Hoffmann

Lightdesign: Annechien Koerselman

WDR Musiceducation department: Mirjam von Jarzebowski

Dramaturgy: Leona Frommelt

Organistion: West Deutscher Rundfunk Cologne (DE)

premiere November 27, 2021, WDR Rundfunkhaus Cologne (DE)

CAST

Moderation: Anke Engelke, André Gatzke

Orchestra: WDR Funkhausorchestra

Symphonic Beats

Photography © WDR (Livestream)

CREW

Conductor:Michael Seal

Stage director & Lightdesign: Annechien Koerselman

WDR Musiceducation department: Mirjam von Jarzebowski

Organistion: West Deutscher Rundfunk Cologne (DE)

premiere September 09, 2022, Kölner Philharmonie Cologne (DE)

CAST

Rap & Singer: Rote Mütze Raphi

Rap & Singer: ART

Moderation: Tillmann Kölner

Orchestra: WDR Funkhausorchestra

Thank you Wayne

CREW

Conductor: Wayne Marshall

Stage direction, Set- & Lightdesign: Annechien Koerselman

Props: Frank Sander

Organisation: West Deutscher Rundfunk Cologne

premiere July 02, 2021, WDR Rundfunkhaus Cologne (DE)

CAST

Moderation: Julia Schöning

Orchestra: WDR Funkhausorchester

THANK YOU, WAYNE

The (new) Story of the Soldier

CREW

Composition: Igor Strawinsky

Text, Stage direction & Musical dramaturgy: Annechien Koerselman

Conductor: Wim Steinmann

Set- & Costumedesign: Tatyana van Walsum

Lightdesign: Annechien Koerselman

Add. composition participating song: Toek Numan

Producer: Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest icw Gergiev Festival, Rotterdam

premiere September 14, 2014 De Doelen, Rotterdam

CAST

Actor: Jeroen van Venrooij

Musicians Domestica Rotterdam: Remko de Jager (trombone), Simon Wierenga (trumpet), Hans Wisse (bassoon), Romke Wymenga (clarinet), Laurens van Vliet (violin), Harke Wiersma (double base), Ronald Ent (percussion)

THE BRASSGANG

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Portfolio

THE LITTLE UGLY DUCK

So it is possible [...] making fascinating theater, suitable for both children and adults. The combination of acting, vocals, music and text in the little ugly duck - a loose adaptation of the story by Hans Andersen, conceived and directed by Annechien Koerselman -led to a strong and creative performance lasting 75 minutes which was really telling something.

Rein Swart

DIJKDRIFT

Very special is that all players are both beautifully singing, making music in a marvelous way and are acting stronly at the same time. An incredible achievement of stage director Annechien Koerselman and all performers. Dijkdrift is an extremely original opera production.

Scenes, Jos Schuring