Elisabeth Dorathea " Liesbeth" List (born Driessen; December 12, 1941 – March 25, 2020)
Biography
Early life
List was born in Bandoeng, Dutch East Indies (present-day
Indonesia), as Elisabeth "Elly" Dorathea 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. Elly and her mother were sent to one of the many camps set up exclusively to imprison Dutch occupants of Indonesia; such camps were known under the Dutch nickname "jappenkamp" (
Japan-Camp). The circumstances in which Elly and her mother lived in the camp were very hard on her mother, who developed depression. When the Japanese capitulated at the end of WWII Elly and her mother were set free. They were reunited with their father and husband, but a few weeks later, Elly's mother committed suicide.
Elly and her father returned to the Netherlands, where her father remarried. His new wife, however, frequently clashed with Elly. At the age of seven, children's services took Elly away. It was thought her father was deceased, and she was placed in an orphanage. After it was revealed her father was still alive, she was placed back with her father and stepmother.
In 1948, during a trip to the Dutch island of Vlieland, Elly's stepmother was told that the owner of a hotel on Vlieland and his wife were seeking to adopt a child. Elly 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. At age 18, in 1959 she moved to
Amsterdam, where she studied
fashion and had a job as a secretary. She appeared in the
AVRO talent show "Nieuwe Oogst", after which she was signed to collaborate with legendary Dutch singer
Ramses Shaffy (1933–2009) in the theatre show
Shaffy Chantant.
They first started this show, in which they performed well-known
, 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 she released her debut album in 1966.
In 1967, Mikis Theodorakis asked her to collaborate on an
LP album of his Mauthausen Ballad, describing the
Holocaust in dramatic chansons. The LP was a critical and commercial success. List was also successful with an
LP album containing cover versions of songs by
Jacques Brel: the LP was certified gold.
1969–90: expanded career
In 1969, List was awarded a press prize at a television festival in
Montreux. The prize was awarded to her for her contribution in a television series. Because of this foreign acclaim, List focused 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. In 1972 she recorded and album with the American singer, songwriter
Rod McKuen: 'Two against the morning'. In 1973 she recorded the album 'Meet lovely Liesbeth List' in England. Her album: 'Liesbeth List sings Jacques Brel' was released in 1972 in the USA. In 1976 she recorded an album with songs of
Charles Aznavour 'Charles Aznavour presents: Liesbeth List'. She sang with him the duet: 'Don't say a word.'
List took a short break when she became pregnant with her first child; she and husband Robert Braaksma had a daughter, Elisah, in 1983, when List was 41. List ceased her activities for six years to care for her child. In 1988, List made her return to the public eye, starring in a theatre programme titled "List NU". In 1990, she started on a similar show, but it gained neither critical nor commercial success, therefore List accepted that her career had ended.
1991–2020
In the 90s singer, songwriter and producer
Frank Boeijen revived List's career. She recorded two albums with him: in 1994
List and in 1996
Noach. In 1995 she received an Edison for the first, which is one of the highest musical honors awarded in The Netherlands.
In 1999 she released
Vergezicht which contains the song
Heb Het Leven Lief (Love life) which she sang in 2007 at the memorial celebration for
Jos Brink,
with whom she had performed in a musical
Het Hemelbed to great acclaim. She was also approached by
Albert Verlinde to star in his musical about
Edith Piaf's life. She started this in 1999 and did 170 shows of
Piaf, de Musical. Because of its success, and the many requests to bring the musical back, she reprised the role during 2008 and 2009. In 2000 and in 2009, she won the coveted
John Kraaijkamp Musical Award for this role. In 2009 she released a new CD called
Verloren & Gewonnen. In 2015, she released what would be her last album, a tribute album to
Ramses Shaffy titled
Echo, which contained covers of songs by Shaffy.
In 2017, List decided to retire from music because she was developing dementia due to brain damage she had sustained in a car accident earlier in life.
Discography
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Liesbeth List (1966)
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Liesbeth List Sings Theodorakis (1967)
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Pastorale (1968)
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Zingt Jacques Brel (1969)
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Victoria (1970)
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Neuremberger Droom (1971)
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Two Against the Morning (1972)
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Meet lovely Liesbeth List (1973)
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Foto (1974)
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Samen (with Ramses Shaffy) (1976)
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Charles Aznavour presents: Liesbeth List (1976)
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Madame Melancholie (1977)
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Meisjes van Dertig (1979)
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Voor vanavond en daarna (1982)
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List (1994)
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Noach (1996)
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Vergezicht (1999)
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Van Shaffy tot Piaf (2001)
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Heb het leven lief (2001)
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Portret (2002)
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Carré Vedetten Gala (2006)
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Verloren en Gewonnen (2009)
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Echo (2015)
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Voor Altijd (2022)
Bibliography
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Alex Verburg Het voorlopige leven van Liesbeth List, published by Archipel 2001, (Dutch language)
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Alex Verburg Intiem. De herinneringen van Liesbeth List, published by Witsand/ Archipel, 2010, (Dutch language)
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Dave Boomkens, Liesbeth List, de dochter van de vuurtorenwachter, published by Luitingh-Sijthoff, 2017. (Dutch language)
External links
