Joop Fransen

Joop C.G. Fransen (Amsterdam, 21-11-1935) studied Dutch Language and Literature. He also followed conducting lessons with Joop van Zon. From the 1960s he became conductor and later also stage director of various societies in the then flourishing amateur opera- and operetta-circuit in the Netherlands. Because he was annoyed by the quality of the available orchestral material, he decided to produce new, more readable music materials. This initiative was the start of what later would become music publishing house Partitura.

Because of his predilection for the French operetta, the English light opera and the Spanish zarzuela, that repertoire was given priority. In 2006 Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands rewarded Joop Fransen with a Knighthood for his merits for the music theatre in the Netherlands; since then Fransen is Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau (see photo).

Translations and music materials of Joop Fransen are used by various Dutch conservatories and professional companies such as De Hoofdstad Operette, De Nederlandse (now: Nationale) Opera and the Limburgs Symfonie Orkest, in addition to dozens of other organizations in the amateur circuit. The music materials have also found their way abroad.

In addition to his work as a conductor, stage director and translator, Joop Fransen once found time to write his own libretto: based on the Middle Dutch animal epic "Van den vos Reynaerde" he wrote the fable opera "Reynaert" (music by Willem Woestenburg).

We have the following works of Joop Fransen in stock:

Tags: Fransen | Librettist