Ever since Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent gifted a few tulips to a European ambassador, the humble bulb has become synonymous with the Netherlands.
It’s no surprise, therefore, to that learn a new book, Tulips in the Capital, is less about horticulture than about Canberra’s thriving Dutch community and early Dutch migrants here – although the title is also a tribute to the memory of landscape designer Christiaan Slotemaker de Bruine, known as “the father of Floriade”.
On Saturday, the community organisation Oranjefeest Canberra Inc is holding a slap-up book launch at the Harmonie German Club, followed by entertainment from two of the Netherlands’ favourite Aussie granddaughters, comedian/music theatre star Aquinia (Queenie van de Zandt) and international superstar soprano Mirusia Louwerse, André Rieu’s favourite singer.
Louwerse, who graduated in classical singing from the Queensland Conservatorium before being spotted by Rieu, toured all around the world with him from 2007 as his star soprano – “The Angel of Australia.”
She now lives with her husband and child in Brisbane and is a terrific catch for this community event, which is designed to raise funds for the new book while offering some good old-fashioned Dutch fun.
She’ll be joined on stage by “musical therapist and psychic medium”, Jan van de Stool, the comedy alter-ego of Canberra-raised Queenie van de Zandt, one of Australia’s most popular musical theatre stars.
Sporting a heavy Dutch accent, which she stole from her family who are very well-known members of Canberra’s Dutch community, she will give her faux advice on life to the audience.
Van de Zandt is very much a product of the Canberra theatre scene. Schooled at Daramalan College, she was steeped in the local musical theatre scene before Bill Stephens picked her up to perform at the School of Arts Café, sometimes with her scriptwriter, another brilliant Canberran, Peter J Casey, before she left town for roles in Sydney and Melbourne, where she runs her own musical theatre academy.
Tulips & Triumphs concert, Harmonie German Club, April 26.
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