‘Vincent: the musical’ to mark 125 years since Van Gogh’s death
‘Vincent van Gogh – Self-Portrait – Google Art Project (454045)’ by Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853-1890). Image courtesy Google Cultural Institute
Simply called “Vincent”, the musical will open late next year along with several other events commemorating the Dutch Post-Impressionist painter’s death in July 1890.
The production aims to “bring Vincent van Gogh’s works to life in a non-traditional way,” Martine Willekens, spokeswoman for the Van Gogh Europe Foundation, told AFP.
Known for his bold colors and rough, vibrant painting style, Van Gogh was one of the most revolutionary painters of the 19th century.
He only sold one painting in his own short lifetime, which was wracked with bouts of mental illness and depression, including one famous episode where he sliced off part of his ear.
The role of Van Gogh himself has not yet been cast but the production will be directed by Dutch producer Albert Verlinde.
It is commonly believed that Van Gogh shot himself aged 37 in a small village near Paris, although researchers have also put forward theories that he may have been the victim of an accidental shooting.
“It’s perhaps a little odd to celebrate his death,” Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum director Axel Rueger told the Dutch news agency ANP. “But over the years the artist has become a global celebrity, a kind of rock star,” he said.
Next year’s celebration, called “125 Years of Inspiration,” will also include an exhibition of Van Gogh’s paintings in Amsterdam and that of Norway’s Edvard Munch, best known for his painting The Scream.
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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
‘Vincent van Gogh – Self-Portrait – Google Art Project (454045)’ by Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853-1890). Image courtesy Google Cultural Institute
