Pauline Peek

What brought you to My Muse & Me?
“I was a long-time member of My Muse & Me! I used to work full-time as a musician, but my career recently went in a different direction. A board position at My Muse & Me sounded like a good opportunity to keep involved with music and the performing arts.”

What was your first performance?
“The first performance I bought a ticket for myself was Don Giovanni, in 2016. That experience remains undefeated, I think forever. I became instantly hooked on that opera and opera in general. I found it an overwhelming and magical experience that I think will be hard to match.”

What is your favourite performance at Dutch National Opera & Ballet, and why?
“Aside from that nostalgic Don Giovanni, I thought Kirill Serebrennikov's unique staging of Der Freischütz was one of the most entertaining and unexpected things I’d ever seen on stage. It gave me immense optimism for the future of opera. It was the exact opposite of dusty.”

What makes Dutch National Opera & Ballet special, in your opinion?
“That every production is rock solid.  Everything that happens on stage is a result of hard work, dedication, ambition, and innovation. Also, unlike some other opera houses, it is more approachable. I did not feel as at ease visiting The Met in New York as I do here.”

Which artist, conductor, or director do you wish to meet?
“Kirill Serebrennikov, to thank him for the fun I had at Der Freischütz.”