ArtsTalk Radio Holland

We talk to GREG SHAPIRO about his Saving the Climate one-man show and to TONY ADIGUN director of the English Avant Garde Dance Company who is one of the judges for the Rotterdam International Duet Choreography Competition – the RIDCC. And we have a tune from the ERWIN BEIJERSBERGEN TRIO

MICHAEL RAEDECKER is a Dutch artist who has lived and worked in London for the past 25 year. A major retrospective of his work has just opened at the Kunstmuseum in The Hague and we have an exclusive interview with him. We also visit the VERMEER CENTRE in Delft and have a guided tour from Louk van Riet. To play us out there is a track from the excellent AMSTERDAM KLEZMER BAND

We are live at Art Rotterdam at the iconic Van Nellefabriek. We talk to artists and galleries including A Modest Show gallery from Manchester and to Ali Keles of Lakeside Collection about art made entirely from bees. We meet artists Eric Mangen who was showing at Valerius Gallery from Luxembourg and to Daan Den Houter who shows at the Frank Taal Gallery in Rotterdam. We finish with a song from Rotterdam-based Portuguese singer-songwriter Magda Mendes.

We talk to Nicole Beutler of NICOLE BEUTLER PROJECTS about her new show, ATMEN, and to WENDY FOSSEN about THE HAGUE SCHOOL CHILDREN exhibition at the PANORAMA MESDAG MUSEUM in The Hague. Plus a tune from the AMSTERDAM CELLO OCTET

We talk to Job Chajes of the excellent AMSTERDAM KLEZMER BAND and we play a track from one of their albums. QETC’s new production at the end of November is a double bill at the CC Amstel Theater in Amsterdam, (at 5mins30) we talk to director Mark Winstanley. Finally, (at 12.00)we meet Ali Keles whose LAKESIDE COLLECTION of fine art can be seen in THE DEPOT in Rotterdam. The music from The Klezmer band is at 21mins40. Photo of the Amsterdam Klezmer band by SUSANA MARTINS

An American theme for this programme. We talk to Erwin Beijersbergen of the ERWIN BEIJERSBERGEN TRIO about their tribute to the great American jazz pianist with their new album A TOUCH OF BILL EVANS. And we are in The Hague to meet CHRISTOPHER MULLEN whose newly open ACME STUDIOS specializes in old typewriters and anything to do with them.

We meet CHLOE ROOKE a young English lady who will soon be conducting a concert with the prestigious Residentie Orkest at the Amare in The Hague and we talk(at 7mins20) to video artist JIYAN DÜYÜ about her installation at the Lakeside Collection in The Depot in Rotterdam. We are at the Korzo Theater in The Hague (at 10mins25)to talk to MICHAEL ZANDL about his installation Pices of a Mind which is on during Cirque Mania. Finally (at 15mins40) we play a track from the MERAL POLAT TRIO.

We are in Delft, at the Museum Prinsenhof, where an exhibition has just opened pairing the work of local artist Jan Schoonhoven and German photographer Lothar Wolleh. We speak to the show’s curator, Antoon Melissen. English actress Claire Worland, lives in Rotterdam and she has just produced her first play, Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days at the Branoul Theatre in The Hague. Plus we have She’s Leaving Home from the Amsterdam Cello Octet’s Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Cello Band album.

We talk to CHLOE ROOKE, a young English conductor who lives and works in Holland who is conducting Mozart's LA FINTA GIARDINIERA at the AMARE concert hall in The Hague. We are at MUSEUM RIJSWIJK (at 8.00 mins) where their Textile Biennale has just opened and we speak to its curator. Rotterdam-based Portuguese singer-songwriter MAGDA MENDES is currently on tour and (at 14.20)we speak to her and hear a song that features in the show.

We talk to Scapino Ballet dancer Misha van Leeuwen about the ROTTERDAM INTERNATIONAL DUET CHOREOGRAPHY COMPETITION (RIDCC) and (at 7.14 mins)Souwie Buis talks to Yke Prins of the PULCHRI STUDIOS in The Hague on the occasion of the current LANGE VERHOUT MONUMENTAL open-air sculpture exhibition. Plus (at 11.00 mins)a song from Ronley Teper.

It’s all about festivals this week. Nicole Beutler of the Amsterdam based theatre company Nicole Beutler Projects talks about Gluck’s opera Orpheus and Eurydice which she is directing for the Festival Classique in Scheveningen and (at 9.00mins)we meet Roel Beeftink-Funcken, director of the Delft Fringe Festival. We also meet (at 17.00mins) Michael Zandl whose installation A Piece of Mind was at the Korzo Theater in The Hague during the recent CaDance Festival. We end (at 22.00mins) with a track from Cello Octet Amsterdam’s new album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Cello Band.

We are at THEATER PEPIJN in The Hague for an ENGLISH COMEDY NIGHT and talk to comedians Greg Shapiro, Mohna Joshi, Luana Elena Matei, Weina Ma and to the show’s producer from the Diligentia, Vera Papilaja. We meet author NICCI FRENCH (at 10mins)whose new book, "Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter?" has just been published in The Netherlands. We finish (at 20.30 mins)with Delft based Trio Beijersbergen playing the Miles Davis classic "Four".

Something for almost everyone in this programme. We talk to dancer Mischa van Leeuwen of Scapino Ballet about the show he is currently on tour with, DE SPRONG VAN NIJINSKY. We also pay a visit (@ 8mins40)to The Dome at the Meseon-Omniversum in The Hague to see the amazing RECOMBINATION -THE FULLDOME JOURNEY and talk to its creator Julius Horsthuis. And (@ 13mins30)we talk to two members of the Amsterdam-based English language theatre company Strike Me Pink about their new production CALAMUS.

As Vermeer is all over the news at the moment we are back in Delft – but not discussing the old master. We visit the contemporary art galleries in the city and talk to the owners. We are at Artline, Galerie Ruimte Remmelink (at 5mins), Art Jacobs(at 8.40 mins), Kunstkamer (at 13 mins) and Galerie de Zaal (at 17 mins). All of them are right in the centre of town and all show an eclectic mix of high quality art.

We are concentrating on the numerous Vermeer exhibitions taking place at the moment. We have interviews with art historian Wendy Fossen summarizing the different events and with the curator of the exhibition Vermeer’s Delft which is at the Museum Prinsenhof. We are also at the Vermeer Centre in Delft having a guided tour and also talking to René Jacobs, a local artist who takes much of his inspiration from Vermeer. Finally we talk to Emlyn Stam, Artistic Director of the New European Ensemble about Metamorfosen, a multi-media concert at The Hague’s Kunstmuseum inspired by the work of M C Escher

For this programme we are in The Hague. We talk to Emlyn Stam, Artistic Director of the New European Ensemble about Opera2Day’s new Don Quixote opera. We are also at Museum Panorama Mesdag (@ 7.35 mins)with art historian Wendy Fossen of Casa dell'Arte discussing the largely forgotten Dutch artist Suze Robertson and we have some music (@ 22.30 mins)from the Meral Polat Trio

Wendy Fossen is with us again this week showing us around the MANHATTAN MASTERS exhibition at the Mauritshuis in The Hague and we have music (at 10.00mins) from A TOUCH OF BILL EVANS, the new album by Delft-based Trio Beijersbergen

The programme this week is dedicated to the AMALIA, AMBITION WITH ALLURE exhibition. We are at Museum Prinsenhof in Delft where art historian Wendy Fossen gives a tour of the exhibition and a short lesson in Dutch history.

We are at the CC Amstel Theater in Amsterdam to see QETC's production of hit musical CABARET and talking (at 11.00 mins) to its director MARK WINSTANLEY. We also have an interview with world-wide, best-selling author NICCI FRENCH and we finish (at 16,00 mins)with a song from Canadian singer/songwriter and performance artist RONLEY TEPER.

We are back in Delft this week. We talk to Bram Stoeken, the organizer of the Jazz Festival. We also (at 5.20)talk to the owner of Artline a new contemporary art gallery in the town. There is also (at 10.35) a song from Rotterdam-based Portuguese singer songwriter Magda Mendes.

We have dedicated this week’s programme to one topic – the Delft Chamber Music Festival which this year celebrates its twenty fifth anniversary. The Festival has been under the artistic direction of violinist Liza Ferschtman since 2007 but now there is a new director, Nino Gvetadze, and we talk to her at the festival’s main venue, the Mandelazaal in Delft’s historic Prinsenhof.

COMEDY SPECIAL! It’s all about comedy this week. We have a guest in the studio, Stephen Grindle who is also known as Dingle Fingle and Baron von Grindle. He talks about life as an English clown living in Holland and after that (at 18.30 mins)Amsterdam based comedian Greg Shapiro reads the final excerpt from his book An American Netherlander 25 Years of Expat Tales.

The DELFT FRINGE FESTIVAL 2022 opens on 2nd June. We speak to the organizer Roel Funcken and (at 6.20 mins) to Robin Lie and Doortje Peters of the Tappin-It Collective about their show Doemsdee. We also (at 15.00 mins)talk to bass player, poet and performance artist Jonathan Nagel about his show Eventually and hear one of his tracks.

We talk to Ralph Remers and Emilia Moscovich of the new Amsterdam based English language theatre company Strike Me Pink and then (at 7.50 mins) to Brazilian dancer and choreographer SAMIR CALIXTO about his new company. Finally (at 17.40 mins)we are in Delft to talk to HELEEN VAN HAAFTEN about her new contemporary art gallery Artline.

We visit the VERMEER CENTRE in Delft and talk to LOUK VAN RIET. JONATHAN NAGEL (at 16.50 mins)is a double-bass player, poet and performance artist based in Amsterdam and we have a track from his new album entitled Eventually. Finally, GREG SHAPIRO (at 22 mins)reads more from his book THE AMERICAN NETHERLANDER – Twenty Five Years of Ex-Pat Tales.

We are at the Kunsthal in Rotterdam for the opening of the JOB, JORIS & MARIEKE animation exhibition and talk to JOB ROGGEVEEN. Brazilian dancer and choreographer SAMIR CALIXTO talks (at 6.30 mins)about his new work DIDO AENEAS US AND ALL which is currently on tour and (at 13.50 mins) SOUWIE BUIS talks to WENDY FOSSEN about the MUCHA exhibition at the Kunstmuseum in The Hague.

We talk to Anita Jansen, curator of the BRAM BOGART exhibition at the Museum Prinsenhof in Delft and (at 22 mins) there is a song from Canadian artist RONLEY TEPER

Souwie Buis talks to Wendy Fossen about the major PAULA REGO exhibition at Kunstmuseum in The Hague and GREG SHAPIRO reads from his book THE AMERICAN NETHERLANDER

This this week we are back in Delft to discover more about two painters from the city. Wendy Fossen talks to Alexandra Oostdijk, director of the wonderful Museum Paul Tetar Van Elven in the city’s Koornmarkt and (@ 12.40 mins)Louk Van Riet gives us a guided tour around the nearby Vermeer Centre

All about English language theatre in The Netherlands this week. We talk to MARK WINSTANLEY of the QUEENS ENGLISH THEATRE COMPANY and (at 7.20 mins) to RALPH REMERS and EMILIA MOSCOVICH of the new STRIKE ME PINK company about their first production. We also (at 14.30 mins)talk to MIEL VAN TEILINGEN of the Dutch NATIONAL THEATRE about English language theatre in Holland.

We are in Rotterdam for the opening of THE DEPOT, the storage facility of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen and we talk to one of the architects and to the museum director. We are also (at 9.25 mins)at an exciting multi-media production of George Orwell's 1984 by the New European Ensemble at the Amare in The Hague and talk to the company's director.

We are at the opening of THE POTATO EATERS - MISTAKE OR MASTERPIECE at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. We talk to the show's curator Bregje Gerritse and to the museum's director Emilie Gordenker. We also (@9.30} have a song from Toronto based artist RONLEY TEPER, who we saw in The Hague a couple of years ago, from her new album EVERYONE LOVES A GOOD STORY.

We visit MUSEUM RIJSWIJK for the Textile Biennale and talk to the museum's director Arnaud Van Aalst. We were also at the opening of a remarkable exhibition of Canadian art at KUNSTHAL in Rotterdam. Finally, we are back in Delft and meet the organizers of KUNSTKAMER, in a private house which, for two weekends a year, becomes an art gallery

We talk to actors Loveday Smith and Mark Winstanley who act in and direct the new QE2 production of Alan Bennett's TALKING HEADS at the CC Amstel Theater in Amsterdam. We also talk to Miel van Teijlingen of the Dutch Royal National Theatre about presenting plays in English. Plus there's music from Belgian jazz multi-instrumentalist TCHA LIMBERGER.

Michael Hasted meets BERRY VISSER the man who brought Rock 'n' Roll to Holland when he organized the HOLLAND POP FESTIVAL of 1970 in Kralingen in Rotterdam. Plus (at 13 mins) we meet Dutch baritone THOMAS OLIEMANS who talks about his work in the world's great opera houses and on the concert stage.

Michael Hasted talks to violinist LIZA FERSCHTMAN outgoing director of the Delft Chamber Music Festival and to Delft's Deputy Mayor BAS VOLLEBREGT (at 14 mins 10) on the planned developments at Prinsenhof. There is also a song (at 22mins)from Canadian artist RONLEY TEPER. Photo by and(c) Ronald Knapp

We are at ART ROTTERDAM at the iconic Van Nelle Fabriek and talk to galleries Frank Taal, Contour, Zerp and Vriend Van Bavink. We then (at 11 mins) move on to The Hague and attend STET The English Theatre’s GREENHOUSE open air event at the beautiful Hofje Van Wouw. We speak to STET's artistic director Tom Dello and some of the performers. The image is Jalisco by Aldo van den Broek. Courtesy of Gallery Vriend Van Bavink in Amsterdam

Souwie Buis is at BEELDEN AAN ZEE museum in Scheveningen talking to curator LEANA JULIAN about the exhibition ITALIAN SUMMER in particular and about the museum in general. We also talk (@11mins15secs) to Portuguese singer/songwriter MAGDA MENDES, who lives in Rotterdam, and listen to some of the music from her current album OLIVEIRAS.

Michael Hasted talks to Scapino Ballet principal dancers MAYA ROEST and MISCHA VAN LEEUWEN about the RIDCC (Rotterdam International Duet Choreography Competition) which they organise. We then make the short journey to Schiedam to talk to artist FLORENTIJN HOFMAN about his incredible installation STADSCOCON (City Cocoon) which is at the Sint Janskerk.

Souwie Buis discusses artist FRIDA KAHLO with art historian and author Karin Haanappel and (at 14.00 mins)talks with Yke Prins about the open-air sculpture exhibition in The Hague’s Lange Voohout curated by PULCHRI STUDIO

Michael Hasted talks to ROEL FUNCKEN, the director of the DELFT FRINGE FESTIVAL, about the online 2021 version and (@ 17mins) Amsterdam-based comedian GREG SHAPIRO reads the final excerpt from his book THE AMERICAN NETHERLANDER -25 YEARS OF EXPAT TALES. Plus (@ 10mins55) there is music from the excellent multi-national instrumental trio STEEL SHEEP from their appearance in Delft during the 2019 Festival.

Amsterdam based comedian GREG SHAPIRO reads the third extract from his book THE AMERICAN NETHERLANDER, 25 YEARS OF EXPAT TALES. This week he tells us more about the early days of the Amsterdam comedy venue BOOM CHICAGO and some of the comedians who have appeared there. SOUWIE BUIS has been busy again and (@12.20) she talks to Spanish artist DAVID MAROTO, who lives in Rotterdam, about his book-related work and projects. Photo shows David Maroto during his performance Not All of Me Will Die on 17th April 2021 at Index, The Swedish Contemporary Art Foundation, Stockholm. Photo: Marti Manen

We visit GALERIE ART JACOBS in Delft and talk to artist RENE JACOBS about his eccentric and eclectic work plus (@19.30mins)Amsterdam-based American comedian GREG SHAPIRO reads a second instalment of his book THE AMERICAN NETHERLANDER, 25 YEARS OF EXPAT TALES, this time talking about BOOM CHICAGO the comedy venue in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam based American comedian GREG SHAPIRO is a familiar figure on the Dutch comedy circuit. His third book, THE AMERICAN NETHERLANDER, 25 YEARS OF EXPAT TALES was written during the months of Corona lock-down when all live performance venues were closed. Greg has been reading extracts from the book exclusively for ArtsTalk Radio. Also, (@ 12.30 mins)SOUWIE BUIS talks to art historian WENDY FOSSEN of Casa Dell'Arte about female artists in general and those at the Rijksmuseum in particular.

This week we have another short story by ATA BURCHARDT called THE MOUSE COAT preceded by a short interview with the author who lives in Delft. The story is read by National Theatre actress Cait Davis. Two young sisters are growing up in poverty in the ruins of post WW2 Europe. They only have their ingenuity and resourcefulness with which to amuse themselves. The willful elder of the two has a special project involving the mice which overrun their house . . . SOUWIE BUIS (@ 14mins) talks to WENDY FOSSEN of Casa dell’Arte about the KUNSTMUSEUM in The Hague.

Souwie Buis is with WENDY FOSSEN of Casa dell'Arte at the MAURITSHUIS in The Hague talking about the exhibition FLEETING - SCENTS IN COLOUR which is all about smell. Michael Hasted (@16.30)talks to LOUK VAN RIET at the VERMEER CENTRE in Delft plus (@12.40) there's a song from RONLEY TEPER

A mother and her two small daughters struggle for survival in the chaos of post World War Two central Europe. They are taken off a train, along with two nuns, and held by Russian soldiers at the border between Austria and Germany. The reading, by National Theatre actress Cait Davis, is preceded by a short interview with the author who lives in Delft.

The best music from ArtsTalk Radio featuring Steel Sheep, Tcha Limberger Ronley Teper, Magda Mendes, Erwin Beijersbergen and Luiz, The Devil Makes Three and Thomas Oliemans.

LILIAN is a play for radio by Polish composer and writer Kasia Glowicka who lives in The Hague. Based on real events it tells the story of a Dutch professor who is contacted by Tesfay, a refugee trapped in a camp in Libya. Barbed Wire Sunset photo by and © Rick van Helden

We have chosen the best bits from the dozens of interviews and features from ArtsTalk Radio. We talk to Greg Shapiro, Kasia Glowicka, Santiago Burgi, Berry Visser and the QE2 Theatre Company. We are at the Kunsthal and Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum in Rotterdam, Museum Rijswijk and Opera2Day. Souwie Buis is at the Mauritshuis in The Hague and De Balie in Amsterdam. There’s lots of talk and lots of music to take your mind off the dreaded you-know-what.

Michael Hasted talks to The Hague-based Polish composer and writer KASIA GLOWICKA (@16.02 mins)about her work and about her radio play LILIAN. And we are at the Diligentia Theatre in The Hague talking to comedian GREG SHAPIRO about his new book THE AMERICAN NETHERLANDER.

Souwie Buis talk to WENDY FOSSEN about the ANDERS ZORN exhibition at the KUNSTMUSEUM in The Hague, Michael Hasted (@12.35)talks to LOVEDAY SMITH and MARK WINSTANLEY of QE2 Theatre Company about their production of TALKING HEADS and (@20.25) Souwie Buis talks to MICHEL BEHRE organizer of the CROSSING BORDER FESTIVAL in The Hague

In an exclusive interview Michael Hasted talks to Amsterdam-based American comedian GREG SHAPIRO about his new tour, LEAVING TRUMPLAND, and (@15.40)Souwie Buis is at the Kunstmuseum in The Hague talking to WENDY FOSSEN about the exhibition COLOUR IN FASHION. 15th October 2020

The weekend of 25th September 2020 was the Silver Opening of THE DEPOT, the new storage facility of the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum in Rotterdam when the press and the public were allowed in for three days to see the work in progress. Michael Hasted has a look round and talks to the Boijmans director SJAREL EX. The Depot will be fully up and running and open to the public in September 2021. We are also at the MAURITSHUIS in The Hague where SOUWIE BUIS talks to art historian WENDY FOSSEN about a new exhibition on Johan Maurits himself

Michael Hasted is at Kunsthal in Rotterdam to see the photographic exhibitions MY BREXIT and FOR YOUR EYES ONLY. He talks to Anglo/Dutch photographer MERLIN DALEMAN and his Brexit pictures and to ASTRID BURCHARDT about the old amateur black and white snapshots of naked ladies.

Michael Hasted talks to DIANA WIND, curator of the PAPER BIENNALE at MuseumRijswijk and, (@ 10mins)following the news that CIRQUE DU SOLEIL has filed for bankruptcy we talk to some of the performers in an extract from last year's special programme dedicated to the circus when it was at The Hague

Michael Hasted talks to MAX DAX, curator of the exhibition BLACK ALBUM WHITE CUBE at the Kunsthal in Rotterdam and (@ 10.00 mins), on its 50th Anniversary, we talk to to BERRY VISSER, founder of MOJO Concerts about the HOLLAND POP FESTIVAL of 1970 in Kralingen

Michael Hasted paid a visit to the incredible HIDDEN HOUSE OF MADAME DE BERRY in Delft and was shown round by and talked at length to BERRY VISSER alias Madame de Berry about this very exotic secret gem. 17th June 2020

Michael Hasted talks to Brazilian dancer and choreographer SAMIR CALIXTO about his work at the Korzo Theatre in The Hague and there is a song from Canadian singer and performance artist RONLEY TEPER. With most Dutch museums re-opening for business we talk to one that won’t – the Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, because of its on-going major refurbishment. We talk to the Boijmans director SJAREL EX about The Depot, an annex to the museum which will be opening next year.

Souwie Buis talks to MICHEL BEHRE about The Hague's CROSSING BORDER FESTIVAL and BORDER KITCHEN literary events. There is also chat and music when Michael Hasted talks to Delft based musicians, singer JACKIE SARLUIS and guitarist ERWIN BEIJERSBERGEN.

Michael Hasted talks to English actor KENNETH CRANHAM about HAROLD PINTER. There is a preview of the curtailed CLASSICAL ENCOUNTERS FESTIVAL in The Hague and SOUWIE BUIS talks about three new books on the HONG KONG protest movement

As if the CoronaVirus and the cancellation of several shows was not bad enough STET, The English Theatre in The Hague will probably have its funding from the city withdrawn. We speak to STET's director Elske Van Holk and to performers and participants with the aim of raising awareness of the company's plight and to urge people to sign a petition to ensure public funding is maintained and that STET can continue.

MARK WYNTER was a pop singer in the pre-Beatles early sixties with a string of top twenty hits to his name. He later became, and remains, a successful actor. In this wide ranging interview with MICHAEL HASTED for Arts Talk Radio he talks about his early career and how he made the transition to straight acting. It includes several of his hit singles.

Michael Hasted talks to English actress PENELOPE KEITH about her life in the theatre and Souwie Buis talks to art historian WENDY FOSSEN about the BAROQUE IN ROME exhibition at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Plus a song from RONLEY TEPER

Michael Hasted meets gypsy jazz musician TCHA LIMBERGER and SANDRO BRUTI at CASA LOURDES Sessions in Scheveningen and Souwie Buis talks to WENDY FOSSEN about the GEORGE STUBBS exhibition at the Mauritshuis in The Hague. March 2020

A rather political programme this week dealing with different aspects of migration. Souwie Buis was at De Balie in Amsterdam where she spoke to Suketu Mehta, a New York based Indian author, about his book This Land is Our Land, An Immigrant’s Manifesto. She also talks to Ehsan Fardjadniya, an Iranian visual and performance artist who lives in the Netherlands, about his seminal work A Refugee on Trial. Picture by Romy Fernandez

Souwie Buis talks to Wendy Fossen about current art exhibitions in Amsterdam and The Hague focusing on the BREITNER vs ISREALS show at Kunstmuseum in The Hague. Plus there is a feature on the lovely little TOBACCO MUSEUM in Delft and a song from Portuguese singer/songwriters MAGDA MENDES.

An ArtsTalk Radio special dedicated to OPERA MELANCHOLICA, the new production by Opera2Day which is based on Philip Glass's THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER. Michael Hasted talks to Alice Gubler, the company's managing director, Emlyn Stam leader of the New European Ensemble, singers Santiago Burgi, Georgi Sztojanov and Drew Santini and to the opera's director Serge van Veggel

Michael Hasted has an exclusive interview with international comedy mime artist TAPE FACE and (at 9.30)visits the KUNSTHAL in Rotterdam to talk to SAREL EX of the BOIJMANS VAN BEUINGEN in exile. Souwie Buis was at the WINTERNACHTEN FESTIVAL in The Hague (at 21.10)and spoke to Palestinian poet ASMAA AZAIZEH.

We have chosen the highlights from the first year of ArtsTalk Radio. There are interviews with author Nicci French, Elske van Holk of STET The English Theatre in The Hague, Sjarel Ex of Boijmans van Beuningen Museum in Rotterdam, the Cirque du Soleil, QETC, baritone Thomas Oliemans and much much more.

Souwie Buis talks to art historian Wendy Fossen about the big MONET show at the Kunstmuseum in The Hague and (at 13.50)Michael Hasted talks to Canadian singer RONLEY TEPER who was appearing with her band The Lipliners at De Stamboom in The Hague

Michael Hasted visits the CC Amstel Theater in Amsterdam during rehearsals for QE2's new production of THE 39 STEPS which runs from 6th - 8th December. He talks to director LOVEDAY SMITH, co-producer MARK WINSTANLEY, both of whom both also appear in the play, and to the other two cast members Graham Garner and Charles Bird. 18th November 2019

Our reporter Souwie Buis was at the CROSSING BORDER FESTIVAL in The Hague and talked to singer Michael Mayo and American podcaster Andrew Leland. (@ 20 mins) Michael Hasted was at the first CASA LOURDES SESSION in Scheveningen and talked to its organiser Alessandro Bruti and listened to some Irish and Breton folk music. 10th November 2019

Michael Hasted talks to MARK WINSTANLEY of Amsterdam's Queen's English Theatre Company about their unique and controversial production of Oscar Wilde's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST and Souwie Buis meets Sairah Erens and Mike Phillips-Gomez who are appearing in the Orange Theatre Company's new production, DUTCHMAN. 27th October 2019

Michael Hasted was invited to the dress rehearsal of TOTEM by CIRQUE DU SOLEIL which is at The Hague in until 8th December 2019. He talks to some performers, the artistic director and the company manager.

Michael Hasted talks to NICOLAS MANSFIELD, Director of NEDERLANDSE REISOPERA whose BARBER OF SEVILLE is currently on tour and (at 6.00 mins) to BAS VOLLEBREGT, Deputy Mayor of Delft in an extended interview about the proposed development of the Prinsenhof Museum and the Sint Agathaplein in that city.

ART CENTRAL ROTTERDAM took place over the weekend of 13th - 15th September 2019 with ten contemporary art galleries participating. We spoke to some of them at the Private View on 13th plus a song from Portuguese singer/songwriter Magda Mendes. Picture shows the mixed exhibition at Joey Ramone

Michael HASTED is in Delft and talks with jazz musicians, singer JACKIE SARLUIS and guitarist ERWIN BEIJERSBERGEN in their studio in a former school. He also talks (at 16.00 mins) to artist and gallery owner RENÉ JACOBS about the open-air DÉJÀ VU exhibition, celebrating the Dutch Golden Age, which is in the Agathaplein in Delft until 6th October.

We were at the CELEBRATING DISSENT Freedom Festival at De Balie in Amsterdam and have interviews with British body-painting artist VICTORIA GUGENHEIM and (at 17mins 50) exiled Bangladeshi activist TASLIMA NASRIN. 1st September 2019

Michael Hasted talks with ELSKE VAN HOLK of STET The English Theatre based in The Hague.

This week Souwie BUIS talks to Syrian dancer AHMAD JOUDEH who is establishing a growing reputation around Europe and in The Netherlands where he now lives. And Michael HASTED talks (at 13.00 mins) to BRAM STOEKEN, organiser of the DELFT JAZZ FESTIVAL. Photo by Ewoud Broeksma

Michael Hasted talks to Dutch baritone THOMAS OLIEMANS, organiser and star of this year's DELFT CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL and (at 21.40) he talks to MAURICE NIO of Nio Architects and gallery owner FRANK TAAL in Rotterdam.

Michael Hasted talks to world-wide best selling author NICCI FRENCH who was in Holland to promote the new book HUIS VOL LEUGENS published by Ambo Anthos. The English edition, THE LYING ROOM, will be published in the UK in October. The programme also includes an interview with Miel van Teijlingen of the Dutch National Theatre on language issues facing theatre-goers in the Netherlands.

Michael Hasted talks to BRAM STOEKEN and drummer ROB KRAMER at MIDSUMMER JAZZ in Delft and (at 8.20) Souwie Buis talks to SIMON MURPHY, conductor of the NEW DUTCH ACADEMY. There is also a track from the EZNORQUELS KLEZMER BAND

Michael Hasted talks to Michel Havenith of the EBONY ENSEMBLE after their concert in Zoetermeer of Facade by Edith Sitwell and William Walton and talks to two of the organisers on the bi-annual KUNSTKAMER in Delft

Interviews and reviews from the 2019 DELFT FRINGE FESTIVAL

Michael Hasted meets Sjarel Ex, Director of the Boijmans van Beuningen Museum in Rotterdam which is closing for major renovation at the end of May 2019. They talk about the work involved and about the new Depot building next door which opens next year and will house the museum's entire collection.

Interview with Pete Bernhard of THE DEVIL MAKES THREE at the Tivoli in Utrecht plus an interview and feature on the Tabakshistorisch Museum (Tobacco Museum) in Delft

Michael HASTED talks to the organist and curator of music at Amsterdam's Oude Kerk, JACOB LEKKERKERKE, about the organ's restoration and its inauguration by Philip GLASS on 11th May 2019. Also included is an interview with composer RICHARD RIJNVOS about his new work "Riflesso sullo spazio" which was premiered in April 2019

April 2019. Interviews with American mime artist BILL BOWERS and with ROBIN HERFORD the director of London West End's long running play THE WOMAN IN BLACK

April 2019. Interviews with Rotterdam based Portuguese fado singer/songwriter MAGDA MENDES who is currently performing her new album OLIVEIRAS on tour and with actors LOVEDAY SMITH and MARK WINSTANLEY of Amsterdam's Queen's English Theatre Company about their show, John Godber's SCARY BIKERS which is on tour in Holland until 13th April

In March 2019 English actress, performance artist and clown LUCY HOPKINS gave a workshop on improvisation for fifteen people in The Hague. Michael Hasted spoke to the organiser of the event, some of the participants and, of course, to Lucy Hopkins herself.

March 2019. Michael Hasted talks to Rob Kramer who runs the Popta Music School in a social housing complex in Delft, Chuck Jones who is a dancer with Nederlands Dans Theater in The Hague (NDT) and with Miel van Teijlingen of the Dutch National Theatre (HNT)who talks about language issue for non-Dutch speakers. Photo of Rob Kramer © and courtesy of Fred Leeflang

February 2019. An interview with MIENKE SIMON THOMAS, curator of the NEDERLAND-BAUHAUS exhibition at Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum and with FRISO LAMMERTSE curator of Old Masters at Boijmans, prior to the museum's closure for refurbishment

Michael Hasted talks to Brazilian dancer and choreographer SAMIR CALIXTO who is based at the Korzo Theater in The Hague.

Michael Hasted talking about the piece Jesus Blood Never Failed me yet which was performed at the 2018 Crossing Border Festival in The Hague in The Netherlands.

Michael Hasted of ArtsTalk Magazine talks to NICOLAS MANSFIELD Director of the Nederlandse Reisopera