A Theatrical Family Concert (8+)
In a world where lying is a status symbol, the truth is a disability.
Commissioned by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, The Nose is a satirical music theatre work for actress and septet. Renske Vrolijk flips the Pinocchio myth to explore a sharp, modern dilemma: the intoxication of popularity and the high cost of maintaining a false image.
The Concept: The Perfect Liar
Nena lives in a world where noses grow when you lie. In this society, a long nose is the norm—a visible badge of storytelling. Nena, however, discovers a dangerous superpower: she can lie without her nose growing.
She is a biological anomaly. Initially an outcast, she soon realizes that her “invisible lying” makes her the envy of the school. She creates a curated reality that no one can fact-check. But as she rises to stardom, the power corrupts her. She transforms into a menacing manipulator, spinning a web of popularity that spirals out of control until she loses the only thing that was real: her best friend.
for performers and concert programmers
The Music: A Comedy of Failure
Vrolijk treats the ensemble as a living cartoon, using specific textures to track Nena’s psychological descent from optimism to menace, and finally to regret.
- The Mechanics of Failure: The percussionist marks the passage of time and the sparking of ideas (via Glockenspiel). We hear the “Optimistic” music of Scene 7 (making the potion) fracture and collapse in Scene 8 (the failed prosthetic), culminating in a chaotic “Mocking Spree” in Scene 10 as Nena’s social mask finally slips.
- The Sound of the Norm (Glissandi): The world around Nena is defined by constant ascending and descending glissandi. The instruments (including a Trumpet on Slide Whistle) stretch their pitch to mimic the growing and shrinking noses of the other children—a slapstick soundscape of visible lies.
- The Sound of Menace: As Nena discovers her power, the music shifts. The score turns darker and more angular, expressing her transformation into a “mean girl.” The transparent comedy is replaced by a sharper, more aggressive rhythmic drive as she leverages her status.
For performers
Year:
2024
Duration:
53′
Instruments:
actress (or narrator)
cl, bsn, tpt,
tbn, perc, vn, cb
Premiere:
3 November 2024
Concertgebouw
Amsterdam
Commission:
Royal
Concertgebouw
Orchestra
Category:
opera/
music theater
Language:
Dutch (Adaptable
for international
touring)
Lyricist:
Sanne
Schuhmacher
Are you interested in performing this work? Please contact my publisher.
Renske’s sheet music
is published by Deuss Music.
Musicians of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
commissioned by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Renske Vrolijk
idea and composition
Sanne Schuhmacher
text
Hannah Boer
actress
Caecilia Thunnissen
stage director
Live-recording, Concertgebouw Amsterdam op 3 november 2024