THE STUDENT PRINCE - 1985
Links: Barbara Veenemans, Malcolm Terrey en Tobie Cronje
Op 18 November 1985 open TRUK se produksie van die suksesvolle musiekblyspel van Sigmund Romberg se The Student Prince in die Johannesburgse Stadskouburg.
Barbara speel die rol van Gretchen en sing onder meer saam met die Amerikaner Peter Riberi as Prince Karl Franz.
Die rolverdeling is as volg:
Peter Riberi - Prince Karl Franz
Rina Hugo - Kathie
Suzanne Jouvenat - Kathie
Dawie Couzyn - Dr Engel
Barbara Veenemans - Gretchen
Taubie Kushlik - Duchess Anastasia
Olive King - Duchess Anastasia
Tobie Cronjé - Lutz
Malcolm Terrey - Hubert
George Jackson - Prime Minister
Ann Stradi - Princess Ann
Pieter Niemann - Captain Tarnitz
Van die ander sangers is Barry Coleman, Rouel Beukes, Johan van Niekerk, Elsabe Boonzaier, Brian Miller en John Hussey.
Die dekor is deur Andrew Botha ontwerp en die kostuums deur Linday Grindlay. Geoffrey Sutherland het die choreografie behartig.
As deel van die bemarking vir The Student Prince word die volgende koerant-onderhoud [koerant en datum onbekend] met Barbara gevoer. Sue Fox skryf onder die opskrif: DRINK A TOAST WITH GRETCHEN, THE BAWDY BARMAID, AND SING LOCALS, SING!
"For some time, South African singers have been waiting in the wings for the plum parts in local productions. Now they are flexing their vocal chords and singing the international stars right off the stage. Political pressure has forced many imports from the operatic capitols of the world to cancel their contracts to perform here.
Pretoria soprano Barbara Veenemans is one singer who isn't sorry that the influx from minstrels from abroad has been reduced to a trickle. 'I'm pleased about the cancellations - it means more work for local singers. We've got the talent but we need practice, the chance to develop and more time to develop our youth.' Barbara plays the barmaid, Gretchen, in "The Student Prince", produced by PACT in association with Trust Bank, now running at the Civic Theatre, Johannesburg.
The versatile miss Veenemans, with a personality that bubbles like a Jacuzzi, is as much at home with Mozart as she is with musicals. "Marriage of Figaro" and "Der Fledermaus" are her favourite operas. 'We have always stepped back for imported singers, but I don't think they are the draw cards anymore - local audiences want to hear their own singers', says Barbara, resting at home before the evening's performance.
The heat is so intense it is enough to melt the tarmac. Barbara is keeping cool in black shorts and top with a big string of pearls providing the theatrical touch and matching her lily-white legs. She is not your typical diva - rather, she is the down to earth Mrs Philip Jordaan, wife of an Air Force Commandant and mother of two - Michelle, 16 and Jaco, 13. 'I'm not really a typical artist. I don't pamper myself or worry about catching colds, and I have such a lot of other interests I sometimes forget I'm a singer.' The interests include needlework, embroidery, painting, making curtains, anything that is both therapeutic and creative.
Floris de Clerq, Tobie Cronje en Barbara Veenemans in The Student Prince, 1985
Vanaf 26 November - 20 Desember 1986 herhaal TRUK Sigmund Romberg se musiekblyspel The Student Prince in die Staatsteater in Pretoria. Hier speel Barbara weereens die rol van Gretchen.
Die rolverdeling was soos volg:
Manuel Escorcio - Prince Karl Franz
Barry Coleman - Prince Karl Franz
Rina Hugo - Kathie
Carina Cronjé - Kathie
Dawie Couzyn - Dr Engel
Barbara Veenemans - Gretchen
Molly Seftel - Duchess Anastasia
David Sherwood - Lutz
Bill Smale - Hubert
Van die ander sangers en spelers is Ann Stradi en Norman Coombes.
Die regisseur was Neels Hansen en die dirigent Leo Quayle. Die dekor is deur Andrew Botha ontwerp en Lindy Grindly het die kostuums ontwerp.
From the left: Barry Coleman, Barbara Veenemans, Dawie Couzyn, Rina Hugo in The Student Prince, 1986