From a young age, Joep developed a love for theater in all its many forms. This resulted in years of singing lessons, acting lessons, and stage experience varying from local amateur productions to professional national musical productions. 

 

In 2021 Joep graduated with an MA in Theatre Studies at the University of Amsterdam, with his thesis on the culinary aspect of Brecht & Weill’s Mahagonny. Earlier in 2019 Joep got his Bachelor's degree in Theatre Studies at the same university. During the last years of his Bachelor's and his master's he focussed in research and curriculum on music theatre, and opera.

    Next to his studies, Joep gained experience in theatre through several internships and jobs. For two seasons Joep worked as a producer, programmer & marketeer for JONG DeLaMar, an initiative from DeLaMar Theater to organize evenings around special performances for a younger audience. Next to several artistic internships as Assistant Director and Dramaturg at Opera Zuid, Joep worked for Opera Zuid as their Surtitles Operator for two seasons. Another opportunity was offered to Joep from the University of Amsterdam, to join the talent teams of young creators, which are part of the Dutch National Opera’s ‘Opera Forward Festival’. The created short opera ‘IDIOSYNCRATIC’ for which Joep wrote the libretto and was a dramaturg got unfortunately canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions.

 

In September 2020 Joep started as Dramaturg & Assistant Producer at Opera Zuid. After graduating with a Master of Arts in March 2021, Joep joined the company full-time. Joep worked as a Dramaturg for Opera Zuid on: MTOTO (2020), Lady in the Dark (2022), Eternal Road (2022) & Der Schauspieldirektor (2023). In the summer of 2023, Joep joined the team of Opera Nijetrijne as dramaturg on the retelling of Salieri’s Armida.

 

JOEP CURRENTLY WORKS FULL-TIME AS A DRAMATURG AND ARTISTIC ASSISTANT FOR OPERA ZUID