Description

My series ‘Maestro’ is inspired by the life of Frieda Belinfante (1904-1995). Frieda was a Dutch cellist and conductor who became an American citizen in 1955. During the Second World War she was active in the resistance. During her life she experienced a lot of opposition just because she was born a woman. Like the Dutch Antonia Brico (1902-1989) and the French pedagogue and conductor Nadia Boulanger (1887-1979), she was a pioneer who paved the way for other female conductors. Writer/journalist Toni Boumans wrote down her story in her book ‘Een schitterend vergeten leven’.

At the beginning of WOII, Frieda regularly visited Kunstsociëteit De Kring in Amsterdam, where she met new friends such as Willem Sandberg, Gerrit van der Veen, Willem Arondeus and others who were affiliated with the resistance group ‘Groep 2000’. Frieda soon committed herself to this organization as well.