''Rembrandt's Wife'' is a chamber opera composed by Andrew Ford with libretto by Sue Smith. It explores the relationships of Dutch artist

Rembrandt Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (; ; 15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), mononymously known as Rembrandt was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and Drawing, draughtsman. He is generally considered one of the greatest visual artists in ...

with three women: the death of his wife Saskia, the madness of his former lover

Geertje Dircx Geertje Dircx (; 1610–1615 – c. 1656) was the lover of Rembrandt van Rijn after the death of his wife Saskia. She was hired as a nurse to the painter's son Titus, but lived with Rembrandt as his lover for several years. The relation ...

and his muse to be,

Hendrickje Stoffels Hendrickje Stoffels (1626 – 21 July 1663) was the longtime partner of Rembrandt. The couple were unable to marry because of the financial settlement linked to the will of Rembrandt's deceased wife Saskia van Uylenburgh, Saskia, but they remaine ...

. Smith was inspired to write the opera when, at an exhibition of the artist's etchings, she learned that he sold the burial plot and headstone of his wife.

Victorian Opera Victorian Opera is an opera company based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The company was founded in 2005 by the Victorian Government as a replacement for the Victoria State Opera. It commenced operations in January 2006 with Richard Gill a ...

premiered the work at the CUB Malthouse, Melbourne in April 2009, roles were played by: Gary Rowley (Rembrandt van Rijn), Jacqueline Porter (Saskia van Uylenburgh/Hendrickje Stoffels), Roxane Hislop (Geertje Dircx), Paul Biencourt (Govert Flinck/Torquiunius/Judge etc.), Talya Masel (director), Adam Gardnir (designer) Merlyn Theatre, CUB Malthouse, Melbourne, 18 April 2009 conducted by Richard Gill. For ''Rembrandt's Wife'', Ford and Smith received a Melbourne

Green Room Award The Green Room Awards are Australian peer awards which recognise excellence in cabaret, dance, theatre companies, independent theatre, musical theatre, contemporary and experimental performance, and opera. The awards, which were established in ...

for New Australian Opera. Smith's libretto received the

AWGIE Award for Music Theatre The AWGIE Award for Music Theatre is awarded by the Australian Writers Guild at the annual AWGIE Awards for Australian performance writing. The award is for the script/text, lyrics or book of works written for the theatre in which music plays an i ...

in 2010. For his performance Paul Biencourt received Helpmann and Green Room Award nominations.

References

{{reflist 2009 operas English-language operas Operas Works about Rembrandt Operas set in the 17th century Cultural depictions of Dutch people Operas set in the Netherlands Cultural depictions of Rembrandt Operas based on real people