1945-2025: Born in great need

In the Netherlands, Hendrik Werkman was undoubtedly the artist from De Ploeg who achieved a certain level of international fame. In 1939, he had his first major success with a solo exhibition in Amsterdam. During the war, he collaborated with other artists to publish various works under the name De Blauwe Schuit ("The Blue Barge"), which cautiously criticized the Nazi regime. Three days before the liberation of the northern Netherlands, he was executed by firing squad along with nine others.

In 1995, composer Gerard Ammerlaan and librettist Jo Willems created an opera based on Werkman's life and work. Especially for the Aurora Festival, a semi-staged version has been created for chamber music ensemble, vocal soloists, and a narrator who will read letters written by Werkman.

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