Johanna Bordewijk-Roepman

Full biography Johanna Bordewijk-Roepman

Johanna Bordewijk-Roepman was a Dutch composer, born on August 8, 1892, in The Hague, Netherlands. She was an accomplished musician, and her compositions included works for orchestra, voice, and piano.

Bordewijk-Roepman was trained in piano, music theory, and composition at the Rotterdam Conservatory and later continued her studies in Brussels and Berlin. She began composing in her early twenties, and by the 1930s had established herself as a significant composer in the Netherlands, having won several composition prizes.

She is best known for her opera, "Die Schneider von Schönau" (The Tailors of Schönau), which was first performed in 1932. The opera's success established her as a major figure in Dutch music, and she went on to compose several other operas, chamber works, songs, and music for film.

Bordewijk-Roepman's music is characterized by its lyricism, clear structure, and sensitive use of harmony. She was also known for her interest in electronic music and was one of the first composers to experiment with musique concrète.

Despite her significant contributions to Dutch music, Bordewijk-Roepman's legacy was overshadowed for many years by her husband, the writer and critic Frederik Bordewijk. However, in recent years, her music has been rediscovered and is receiving the recognition it deserves.

Johanna Bordewijk-Roepman passed away on May 9, 1971, in The Hague. Her music continues to be performed and appreciated by audiences worldwide.