Hans Liberg kaarten

Over Hans Liberg

His breakthrough was 25 years ago, in 1983, when he reached the finals in the famous dutch Camaretten festival and presented DADA, his first full-evening's programme. In 1993 he was asked to host the Liberation Day concert for Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness Prince Claus on 4 May, which was broadcast by the NOS, live from the Royal Theatre Carré in Amsterdam. His career gained momentum and, just as for many good Dutch soccer players, people more and more often thought about Hans Liberg: If only we can keep him in this country. For his striking talents as a musician and entertainer were highly praised, not just in the Netherlands, but also abroad. During the "Begegnung mit den Niederlanden" festival (1989) Hans Liberg conquered the German hearts: ¦ "Der holländische Musikkomiker bewies seine Weltklasse!..." (Süddeutsche Zeitung). In Switzerland he was called "a musical entertainer of divine grace". But Liberg is still Liberg; success has absolutely not gone to his head.

Today his fame reaches far beyond the Dutch borders, attracting full houses all over Europe. The international character of his shows, his musical virtuosity, and his subtle humour make him a highly sought-after artist at large international galas. For example, in 2003 he performed at the farewell gala for the late Dr. Wim Duijsenberg as President of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, and in 2005 for Her Majesty the Queen, in honour of her birthday and 25th jubilee.

He has received many international awards, the highest being an Emmy Award in New York in 1997 for "Liberg zaps himself", produced by Ivo Niehe for Tros Television. In the same year he was also nominated for the Banff Television Festival in Canada and he received an honourable mention at the Golden Rose Festival in Montreux. Last, but certainly not least, he was asked to host the Emmy Award Gala in New York in 1998. An extra special honour, as he was taking the place of Sir Peter Ustinov!

In Germany Liberg won the Bayerischen Kabarettpreis in 2003, the "Goldene Spaten"; in 1998 the Moers Comedy "Henrietta Award" and in 1991 the "Schwerte Kabarettpreis", the "Knorrhahn Preis" in Wilhemshafen, and the Münchener Abendzeitung he was voted "Stern der Woche". In Switzerland, during the Arosa Humor Festival 2004 he was voted best "Künstler" of the Festival and received the "Schneestern".

For his English-language show, with which he made his debut during the Edinburgh Festival in 1995, the Scottish newspaper 'The Scotsman' gave Liberg a 5-star review, the highest appreciation possible. He was compared to the world famous Danish piano comedian, the late Victor Borge: "¦He is more than a new Victor Borge. Hans Liberg is a law unto himself and he doesn't let you forget it¦". In 1996 he played at the Edinburgh Festival again (two weeks), but this time on invitation, and immediately at the most important theatre of the festival (the Pleasance Theatre), followed in 1999 by a series of two weeks at the London Peacock Theatre: "Liberg Live in London".

The fact that Hans Liberg currently performs at Europe's largest classical concert halls and festivals indicates that there is a strong demand for comedians in the tradition of Victor Borge. In Germany he performed, among others, at the Sleeswijk Holstein Musik Festival in 2006, the Dresdner Musikfestspiele (2003), and the Internationale Mai-Festspielen in Wiesbaden (2000), all festivals with classical programming. The Lübecker Nachrichten wrote: "Soviel gelacht hat das Publikum in 20 Jahren Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival noch nie¦". In Austria (2007) he was the first and only entertainer to ever perform in the Goldene Saal of the prestigious Vienna Musikverein, where subscriptions are still inherited from generation to generation.

Hans Liberg also performs with a symphonic orchestra. To that end he created the "Symphonie Libergique" which, just as his solo show, is suitable for gourmets but also for those who are not connoisseurs of music. In 1993 he toured ten Dutch concert halls with the Noord-Hollands Filharmonisch Orkest, and for several years now he has often performed the "Symphonie Libergique" at the large concert halls in Germany, Austria and even in France with, among others, the Nordwestdeutschen Symphonikern, the Düsseldorfer Symphonikern, the Münchner Symphonikern, the Brucknerorchester, the Niederösterreichischen Tonkünstlerorchester and the Orchestre de Chambre National de Toulouse.

In March 2008 Hans Liberg will have his 25th artistic jubilee in the Netherlands, which we will celebrate with a jubilee show entitled "25 years of Hans Liberg". The opening series will be performed at the Royal Theatre Carré in Amsterdam. And¦. Her Majesty the Queen has informed us that she would be pleased to attend, if her calendar allows.

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