Barbara Schilthuis: Songs, Poetry, and Music

Barbara Schilthuis performs a poetic and musical programme of her own. The performance traces how an individual tries to make their way through modern welfare society. The dynamics of the city have great appeal, but nature is needed to order your thoughts. How do you stay in touch with your own voice in the maze of the digital world? Perhaps love offers a solution. This quest forms the basis for musical stories, which are sometimes melancholic, but more often light-hearted and playful.

When composing the music, Barbara draws inspiration from the blues, pop ballads and improvised music, among others. Every now and then, she makes a foray into rap, where a solid rhythm forms the basis for a spoken text.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Barbara performed as a cabaret performer. She was part of the cabaret duo O’Romeo, which reached the final of the Leids Cabaret Festival in 1986. She has also performed several solo shows. Now she focuses on exploring the interfaces between poetry, music and theatre.

Guitarist Simon Swinkels will accompany a number of songs during the performance. Among other things, Simon studied jazz guitar at DJAM Amsterdam.

See also: www.barbaraschilthuis.nl