Evelien has worked with a couple of wonderful theatre makers. She has repeatedly worked with choreographer and dancer Eva Baumann. In November 2018 they premiered #herland, a dance performance in an installation space, inspired by Christine de Pizan`s “The Book of the City of the Ladies”, in Stuttgart, Germany. In May 2021 ‘Schattenkind‘, a chamber dance piece about maternal violence, premiered online and in January 2022 it finally premiered for a live audience. Tanzforum Berlin made a film and trailer during performances in November 2022. In 2023 Evelien composed the music for Losers, by choreographer Jelena Kostić.
LOSERS
We all feel like losers sometimes. When the grass is greener next door, when someone outshines us or when we trip in a less-than-elegant manner in the middle of a busy street. Even though we’re deeply ashamed, we know we’ll be able to laugh about it – eventually.
In Losers, Jelena Kostić explores different aspects of ‘loserhood’: shame, (self)pity, grief, and the need to put our poorer moments into perspective and transform them for the better. Using humour as her weapon, Jelena creates a dance performance that captures the feeling of losing in a multifaceted theatrical movement language.
“The electronic music in the performance was made by Evelien van den Broek. This melodic, sometimes contrarian composition flows together with all movements and simultaneously remains intact as an autonomous and powerful work of art.” – Joost Goutziers
Choreography and concept Jelena Kostić in collaboration with the dancers Noëmi Wagner, Blazej Jasinski, Tijmen Teunissen, Oliver Wagstaff | Dramaturgy, concept and text Lou Cope | Artistic advisor & repetiteur Judit Ruiz Onandi | Composer Evelien van den Broek | Set design Davy van Gerven | Lighting design Bart Verzellenberg | Costume design Rens de Waal | Art work / campaign image Nataša Radosavljević & Lonneke van der Palen | With support from: Performing Arts Fund, Municipality of Tilburg, BNG Cultuurfonds, Fonds21
SCHATTENKIND
choreography, dance, stage, video Eva Baumann | music Evelien van den Broek | costume Katrin Wittig | puppet making Jördis Meister | assistance puppet making Sarah Loscher | light Doris Schopf | artistic co-worker, outside eye Jan Jedenak | introduction BLOMST! Nina Kurzeja | audience development youth Janina Ulmer | PR Katja Seneadza | graphic design Melanie Werner | thanks to Richard van Kruysdijk for mixing one track and mastering three.
Die Deutsche Bühne on Schattenkind: ‘Eine besondere Rolle hat dabei der Soundtrack der niederländischen Komponistin Evelien van den Broek, rhythmisch, zunächst in einzelne Töne gegliedert, dann in elektronisch erzeugte Klänge übergehend, in denen wiederum kleine melodische Abfolgen versteckt sind. Sobald eine Situation bedrohlich zu werden beginnt, intensiviert sich die Musik, gewinnt an Lautstärke und regiert derart die Bewegung auf der Bühne und die Gefühle des Publikums.’
Stuttgarter Zeitung on #herland: ‘Deren Extreme macht die niederländische Komponistin und Sängerin Evelien van den Broek mal mit elektrischem Brizzeln, mal mit engelsgleicher Stimme erlebbar. (…) Vor allem aber ist diese Performance ein inspirierendes Mutmachstück’.
MTOTO
A music theater performance about roots, growth and loss. MTOTO is the third performance in the triptych by soprano and theater maker Nienke Nasserian Nillesen, daughter of a MASAI and a MZUNGU. Where in MASAI Nienke’s father, chief of the Masai, is central and in MZUNGU Nienke’s Dutch Venlo mother, the third performance, MTOTO (child), is about herself. About the feeling of being torn between two worlds she sometimes experiences, and which is already apparent in her name. Nienke from her mother and Nasserian from her father: two first names. Evelien has made songs and soundscapes for voice, percussion, piano, field recordings and electronics to create Nienke's inner world.
text, voice, performance Nienke Nasserian Nillesen | percussion Demos Horn | piano Ben van Daal | composition, music production, mixing Evelien van den Broek (‘Zebra’ composition by Ben van Daal) | direction Kaltoum Boufangacha | dramaturgy Silke van Kamp | production dramaturgy Joep Hupperetz | scenography Lobke Houke | live sound Sandor Caron | photography Loes Korten | audio mastering Richard van Kruysdijk | production Intro in Situ | co-production Opera Zuid and VIA ZUID – Talentontwikkeling podiumkunsten Limburg | thanks to Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Limburg and Stichting MCEM
Field recordings credits: Tanzania nature sounds recorded by Roubignolle, published on Freesound, cc license. Tanzania family sounds by Nienke Nasserian Nillesen and Ngatait, ‘March village garden NL MarenK’ recorded by klankbeeld and published on Freesound, cc license. ‘MarktBG’ recorded by hanstimm, published on Freesound, cc license. Thank you Freesound peeps!
Listing of dance & theatre projects:
- Losers (2023), composition for a dance performance by Jelena Kostić
- RISE (2023), compositions & soundscape for a self-help opera by Nienke Nasserian Nillesen, for festival Wonderfeel
- Schattenkind (2020-22), composition and performance for a dance performance by Eva Baumann
- MTOTO (2020-22), composition for music theatre by soprano Nienke Nasserian Nillesen
- #herland (2018), composition and performance for a dance performance by Eva Baumann
- Tanzen auf dem Malerwanderweg (2017), vocals and composition with electronics for a multi media performance by Jan Doms (LEF Stadsdynamica)
- Solitaire (2012), music for dance. Choreography, dance and production: eva baumann tanz/produktionen, i.c.w. Produktionszentrum Stuttgart. Nominated for the Stuttgarter Tanz- und Theaterpreis 2013, German tour in May 2013.
- Sex. Sleep. Eat. Drink. Dream. (2011), video performance for a multimedia show by Dyane Donck
- Mensch (2011), live audio mixing and electronics for dance by Anouk van Dijk company at the Oerol festival (music: Marcel Wierckx)
- Daydream House (2011), sounddesign for a performance installation by Sanja Mitrovic and Laurent Liefooghe
- A Short History of Crying (2010), music and sounddesign for theatre by Sanja Mitrovic
- Reverse (2007), music and sounddesign for a performance installation by Anne Karin ten Bosch
- Oproer 1783 (2006), singing and performing for musictheatre & dance by CompActlab
- Chimera (2006), composition researchproject commissioned by workshop De Trampoline with voice, dance, motion capture, and live electronics
- Mutterseelenallein (2005/2006), music for a solo danceperformance by Eva Baumann
- mijnhuis=jouwhuis (2005), performance installation by Anne Karin ten Bosch, Evelien van den Broek and Renate Zentschnig
- Thuiskomen/Heimkehr/Homecoming (2005), voice and composition for a performance installation by Anne Karin ten Bosch