Charlotte Salomon - Leben? oder Theater

Wishful Singing
How a young woman manages to stand her ground in challenging circumstances thanks to her art. 
Fri 3 Oct 2025 20:30
Fri 3 Oct 2025
20:30
  • Fri 3 Oct 2025
    20:30
    Incl. garderobe
    De Kleine Willem

Powerful performance that celebrates the life and work of Charlotte Salomon.

Wishful Singing and But What About present the immersive musical theater performance Charlotte Salomon together. Inspired by the life of the German artist Charlotte Salomon, this performance takes you on a poignant and visually fascinating journey about loss, personal discovery, and the importance of art in times of crisis. 

Charlotte Salomon, born in Berlin, grows up during the threat of rising National Socialism. At the age of twenty-two, she discovers that she has been deceived by her family for years. Her mother did not die of the flu but committed suicide, just like – it turns out – more relatives on her mother's side. This confession prompts a confused Charlotte to examine her life up to that point through her art. For what is now true and what is not? She names her project Leben? oder Theater?  

Charlotte tells herself: “I can either end my life or undertake something crazily special.” Therefore, she begins a colorful theatrical narrative about her life in the context of her family. The project grows into a work of art consisting of more than 700 gouaches. Director Annechien Koerselman narrates, with the help of projections of Charlotte's gouaches and a dynamic staging, how a young woman manages to stand her ground under challenging circumstances thanks to her art. 
Steven Kamperman brings forth the dynamic Berlin of the 1930s in his composition.

Swinging theater music and popular hits from that time resonate alongside the ominous sounds of a changing society and Charlotte's personal crisis. 
This powerful performance celebrates the life and work of Charlotte Salomon and shows how self-expression can help us stand firm in this complex world. 

 

* The performance is spoken in German and Dutch subtitles are available.

“De vijf zangeressen van Wishful Singing zingen zo mooi dat hemel en aarde ter plekke van plaats lijken te wisselen,”

Stijn Fens - Trouw

Credits

Wishful Singing
Anne-Christine Wemekamp (vocals), Maria Goetze (vocals), Stella Brüggen (vocals), Marjolein Stots (vocals)

But what about
Wilco Oomkes (accordion, synthesizer, vocals), Vincent Martig (clarinets, drums, vocals), Benjamin de Boer (double bass), Baritone Florian Just (vocals)

Text & gouaches - Charlotte Salomon - Collectie Joods Museum - ©Stichting Charlotte Salomon
Original translation - Judith Herzberg  
Libretto - Annechien Koerselman 
Composition - Steven Kamperman 
Director, videodesign, Lightdesign: Annechien Koerselman 
Kostuums – Stella Brüggen 

Wishful Singing

Wishful Singing is a vocal ensemble consisting of five professional, passionate singers, known for their unique sound, appearance, and determination. Through their concerts, artistic collaborations in the social domain, innovative performances, and tailored educational projects, they strive for a world where music and singing contribute to the well-being and enrichment of every person's life.

 

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