Waut Koeken

Born in Belgium, Waut Koeken studied Art History at the Ghent University and Philosophy at the Universities of Antwerp and Louvain. He trained in a wide range of theatrical professions: he has worked as a stage technician, stage manager, production manager, producer, dramaturg and assistant-director on productions by such directors as Robert Carsen, Robert Wilson, David McVicar, Christof Loy and Andreas Homoki.  His directing career began with a production of children’s songs by Kurt Bikkenbergs for the Vlaamse Opera Kinderkoor.

He recently directed the world creation of La Strada, an opera based on Fellini by the awardwinning Flemish composer Luc Van Hove, for De Vlaamse  Opera in Antwerp and Ghent.  His first fullscale production, De Toverfluit, an adaptation for children of Mozart’s Zauberflöte, created for ZomerOpera AldenBiesen, led to invitations by La Monnaie (De Toverluit/La Flûte Enchantée, 2004), the Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg (Die Zauberflöte, 2005 and 2008 revival) and the Vlaamse Opera (De Toverfluit, 2006).  He was subsequently assigned by the Flemish Opera and the Grand Théâtre Luxembourg to adapt and direct Nino Rota’s fairytale opera Aladino e la lampada magica for children.  A new version of this production was presented at the Opéra National du Rhin last season and will be revived in Lausanne.

ther opera directing credits include La Voix Humaine (Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg), La Tragédie de Carmen (Operastudio Flanders), Argento’s Miss Havisham’s Wedding Night (Festival Coup Maastricht), and Ferdinando Bertoni’s Orfeo  (Royal Conservatory Antwerp). His production of Peter Maxwell Davies’The Medium for Muziektheater Transparant (Antwerp) was invited to Buenos Aires (Teatro Colon), Belgrade (Bemus Festival) and Barcelona (Festival d’Opéra de Butxaca).He wrote Dutch libretti for Aladdin (Rota), Amahl (Menotti) and De Toverfluit (Mozart)(also given in concert at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw), prose translatations of Händel’s Rinaldo, Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and Ian Burton’s Korngold monologue Between Two Worlds, and numerous essays on opera. He taught at the Conservatories of Antwerp and Maastricht and was guest professor at the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts.  Since 2004, he has been artistic advisor for opera with the Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg.

Recent engagements included Aladdin et la Lampe Merveilleuse for the Opéra National du Rhin (Strasbourg), Die Lustigen Weiber von Windsor (O.Nicolai) at Theater Erfurt; and Fledermaus (co-production Opera du Rhin and Nürnberg Opera). Upcoming productions 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 : ; Entführung aus dem Seraïl (Opéra du Rhin); Barbe-Bleue (J. Offenbach) for Operazuid Maastricht; as well as work on concepts for Der Idiot (Henze), Le Vin Herbé (Martin) and Frankenstein! (HK Gruber).  He has also been asked to stage ircam-composer Claude Lenners’ new music theatre piece "Der Turm" commissioned by the Orchestre Philharmonique and Grand Théâtre du Luxembourg.

For further info: www;arien-artist.net