Marie Louise was here

Son et Lumière
The light and sound spectacle in the Princessehof’s garden includes video projections on the facades of the city palace, a specially composed piece of music and special lighting in the garden. Marie Louise was here sketches a modern portrait of a powerful woman in a world dominated by men: Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel, Princess of Orange-Nassau (1688-1765), ancestor of our current king. This is the second time that the Princessehof is presenting Maria Louise was here. All the performances in the first edition in 2021 sold out; this time the Son et lumière is completely free to attend. We recommend that you reserve tickets online as soon as you can at princessehof.nl/tickets.

Theatre maker Jos van Kan directed the performance. He and media artist Frouke ten Velden designed this project to be poetic and beguiling, and made clever use of the Princessehof’s architecture. Actress Ariane Schluter, twice the winner of the prestigious Theo d'Or theatre award (2003, 2004), portrays Marie Louise. Remko Smids took care of the technical production and sound design.

Matriarch of our royal family
Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel, Princess of Orange-Nassau was born in 1688. At the age of 21 she married Johan Willem Friso van Nassau-Dietz, stadholder of Friesland and Groningen and prince of Orange. When he died unexpectedly in 1711, the heavily pregnant Maria Louise became responsible for the survival of the Orange dynasty at the tender age of 23. For twenty years she acted as regent until their son reached adulthood. She moved to this city palace, her Princessehof, when she relinquished her role as regent.

The influence of the Frisian Nassaus increased with this headstrong lady at the helm, who laid the foundations upon which Dutch royal family was built. The current Dutch king, Willem-Alexander, is her direct descendant. She is also an ancestor of almost all European royal houses. In Maria Louise was here, we meet the princess when she moved to the Princessehof. Expressive video projections, light and music bring her to life on the facades of her own palace.

North Netherlands Orchestra (NNO)
Max Knigge composed a piece of music especially for the performance, which was recorded by the North Netherlands Orchestra (NNO). The composition was written such that 29 of the NNO’s musicians could record the music within the constraints of the then prevailing corona restrictions. The composition is presented as a compelling audio experience in the garden.