Liesbeth List
Encyclopedia
Elisabeth Dorathea List, generally known as Liesbeth List (born December 12, 1941) is a Dutch
singer, stage actress and television personality. She became popular during the 1960s and frequently collaborated with Ramses Shaffy
. She also sang Jacques Brel
's chanson
s in Dutch translation.
(present-day Indonesia
), as Elisabeth "Elly" Dorothea Driessen. Her parents were separated in 1942, when during the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies, her father was forced to work in coal mines. List and her mother were sent to one of the many camps set up exclusively to contain Dutch occupants of Indonesia; such camps were known under the Dutch nickname "jappenkamp" (Jap
-Camp). The circumstances in which List and her mother lived in the camp were very hard on her mother, who developed depression. Four years later, the Netherlands freed the East Indies of the Japanese occupation and List and her mother were set free. They were reunited with their father and husband, but a few weeks later, List's mother committed suicide.
List and her father returned to the Netherlands, where her father remarried. His new wife, however, frequently clashed with List. At the age of seven, child's services took List away. It was thought List's father was deceased, and she was placed in an orphanage. After it was revealed List's father was still alive, she was placed back with her father and stepmother.
In 1948, during a trip to Dutch island Vlieland
, List's stepmother was told that the owner of a hotel on Vlieland and his wife were seeking to adopt a child. Liesbeth List was subsequently given up by her father and adopted by this couple, whose surname was List.
in 1959, aged 18, where she did a fashion
study and had a job as a secretary. She appeared in AVRO
talent show "Nieuwe Oogst", after which she was signed to collaborate with legendary Dutch singer Ramses Shaffy
(1933–2009) in theatre show Shaffy Chantant. They first started this show, in which they performed well-known chanson
s, in 1964. In 1965, the duo was awarded the Europe Cup for Best Singing Performance in Knokke
, Belgium
. This caused List to focus on a musical career and to release her debut album in 1966.
In 1967, Mikis Theodorakis
asked her to collaborate on an LP
describing the persecution of Jews
during the Second World War in dramatic chansons. The LP was a critical and commercial success. List was also successful with an LP
containing cover versions of songs by Jacques Brel
: the LP was certified gold.
. The prize was awarded to her for her contribution in a television series. This foreign acclaim caused List to focus more on international success. She started recording more cover versions of well-known artists, such as Gilbert Bécaud
. List's success continued with the release of more LPs and a continued acting career in television, film and stage. She took a short break when she became pregnant with her first child; she and husband Robert Braaksma had a daughter, Elisah, in 1982, when List was 41. List ceased her activities to care for her child for six years.
Hence in 1988, List made her return to the public eye, starring in a theatre programme titled "List NU". In 1990, she started another, similar show, but it gained neither critical or commercial success, causing List to accept her career had ended.
In 2009 she released a new CD called "Verloren & Gewonnen".
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
singer, stage actress and television personality. She became popular during the 1960s and frequently collaborated with Ramses Shaffy
Ramses Shaffy
Ramses Shaffy was a Dutch singer and actor. He became popular during the 1960s. His most famous songs include Zing, vecht, huil, bid, lach, werk en bewonder , We zullen doorgaan , Pastorale, Sammy and Laat me...
. She also sang Jacques Brel
Jacques Brel
Jacques Brel was a Belgian singer-songwriter who composed and performed literate, thoughtful, and theatrical songs that generated a large, devoted following in France initially, and later throughout the world. He was widely considered a master of the modern chanson...
's chanson
Chanson
A chanson is in general any lyric-driven French song, usually polyphonic and secular. A singer specialising in chansons is known as a "chanteur" or "chanteuse" ; a collection of chansons, especially from the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, is also known as a chansonnier.-Chanson de geste:The...
s in Dutch translation.
Early life
She was born in Bandoeng, Dutch East IndiesDutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
(present-day Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
), as Elisabeth "Elly" Dorothea Driessen. Her parents were separated in 1942, when during the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies, her father was forced to work in coal mines. List and her mother were sent to one of the many camps set up exclusively to contain Dutch occupants of Indonesia; such camps were known under the Dutch nickname "jappenkamp" (Jap
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
-Camp). The circumstances in which List and her mother lived in the camp were very hard on her mother, who developed depression. Four years later, the Netherlands freed the East Indies of the Japanese occupation and List and her mother were set free. They were reunited with their father and husband, but a few weeks later, List's mother committed suicide.
List and her father returned to the Netherlands, where her father remarried. His new wife, however, frequently clashed with List. At the age of seven, child's services took List away. It was thought List's father was deceased, and she was placed in an orphanage. After it was revealed List's father was still alive, she was placed back with her father and stepmother.
In 1948, during a trip to Dutch island Vlieland
Vlieland
Vlieland is a municipality in the northern Netherlands. The municipality of Vlieland has only one major town: Oost-Vlieland . It is the second-least densely populated municipality in the Netherlands ....
, List's stepmother was told that the owner of a hotel on Vlieland and his wife were seeking to adopt a child. Liesbeth List was subsequently given up by her father and adopted by this couple, whose surname was List.
1958-68: television, theatre and music
As a teenager, List was very interested in culture and music. She moved to AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in 1959, aged 18, where she did a fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
study and had a job as a secretary. She appeared in AVRO
Avro
Avro was a British aircraft manufacturer, with numerous landmark designs such as the Avro 504 trainer in the First World War, the Avro Lancaster, one of the pre-eminent bombers of the Second World War, and the delta wing Avro Vulcan, a stalwart of the Cold War.-Early history:One of the world's...
talent show "Nieuwe Oogst", after which she was signed to collaborate with legendary Dutch singer Ramses Shaffy
Ramses Shaffy
Ramses Shaffy was a Dutch singer and actor. He became popular during the 1960s. His most famous songs include Zing, vecht, huil, bid, lach, werk en bewonder , We zullen doorgaan , Pastorale, Sammy and Laat me...
(1933–2009) in theatre show Shaffy Chantant. They first started this show, in which they performed well-known chanson
Chanson
A chanson is in general any lyric-driven French song, usually polyphonic and secular. A singer specialising in chansons is known as a "chanteur" or "chanteuse" ; a collection of chansons, especially from the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, is also known as a chansonnier.-Chanson de geste:The...
s, in 1964. In 1965, the duo was awarded the Europe Cup for Best Singing Performance in Knokke
Knokke
Knokke is one of a group of communities that are all grouped in the administrative community Knokke-Heist, in the province of West Flanders in Flanders, Belgium. Knokke itself has 15,653 inhabitants .Knokke-Heist has 33,818 inhabitants ....
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. This caused List to focus on a musical career and to release her debut album in 1966.
In 1967, Mikis Theodorakis
Mikis Theodorakis
Mikis Theodorakis is one of the most renowned Greek songwriters and composers. Internationally, he is probably best known for his songs and for his scores for the films Zorba the Greek , Z , and Serpico .Politically, he identified with the left until the late 1980s; in 1989, he ran as an...
asked her to collaborate on an LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
describing the persecution of Jews
Persecution of Jews
Persecution of Jews has occurred on numerous occasions and at widely different geographical locations. As well as being a major component in Jewish history, it has significantly affected the general history and social development of the countries and societies in which the persecuted Jews...
during the Second World War in dramatic chansons. The LP was a critical and commercial success. List was also successful with an LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
containing cover versions of songs by Jacques Brel
Jacques Brel
Jacques Brel was a Belgian singer-songwriter who composed and performed literate, thoughtful, and theatrical songs that generated a large, devoted following in France initially, and later throughout the world. He was widely considered a master of the modern chanson...
: the LP was certified gold.
1969-90: expanded career
In 1969, List was awarded a press prize at a television festival in MontreuxMontreux
Montreux is a municipality in the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.It is located on Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps and has a population, , of and nearly 90,000 in the agglomeration.- History :...
. The prize was awarded to her for her contribution in a television series. This foreign acclaim caused List to focus more on international success. She started recording more cover versions of well-known artists, such as Gilbert Bécaud
Gilbert Bécaud
Gilbert Bécaud was a French singer, composer and actor, known as "Monsieur 100,000 Volts" for his energetic performances. His best-known hits are "Nathalie" and "Et Maintenant", a 1961 release that became an English language hit as "What Now My Love"...
. List's success continued with the release of more LPs and a continued acting career in television, film and stage. She took a short break when she became pregnant with her first child; she and husband Robert Braaksma had a daughter, Elisah, in 1982, when List was 41. List ceased her activities to care for her child for six years.
Hence in 1988, List made her return to the public eye, starring in a theatre programme titled "List NU". In 1990, she started another, similar show, but it gained neither critical or commercial success, causing List to accept her career had ended.
1991-present
Producer Frank Boeijen revived List's career. She released three more albums since she first contacted him. She was also approached by Albert Verlinde to star in his musical about Edith Piaf's life, which she has been doing since 1999.In 2009 she released a new CD called "Verloren & Gewonnen".