The coffee-drinking culture, originally an Arab custom, spread throughout Europe from the early eighteenth century. Coffee houses sprang up everywhere. In Leipzig, there were more than ten. Gottfried Zimmermann's had been the regular haunt of the city's finest amateur music ensemble since 1723. In 1729, Bach took over the leadership of this Collegium Music On its own. The Coffee Cantata originated around 1734 for concerts at Zimmermann's Coffee House.

During the claustrophobic Covid summer of 2020, Het Kofferbak Collectief, together with cellist Benjamin Glorieux, conceived an open-air mini-opera based on J.S. Bach's Bauern-Kantate.

When this was met with great enthusiasm, a sequel was inevitable: in 2022, Bach's Coffee Cantata was adapted into Bakkie Bach, together with cellist Pepijn Meeuws and director Davi Prins, translated into Dutch by Carel Alphenaar.

Bakkie Bach light-heartedly demonstrates that addiction sensitivity and generation gaps are timeless.

Bakkie Bach, or J.S. Bach's Coffee Cantata, is a witty, pocket-sized mini-opera lasting 45 minutes, performed by the Kofferbak Collectief. The composition is about a father, Schlendrian, who is trying to get his daughter, Liesje, to give up her coffee addiction. He will only give her permission to marry if she stops drinking coffee.

“Oh daddy, what a crushing blow!
If I'm not allowed to have my cup of coffee three times a day, I get a severe rash.”

While Schlendrian goes in search of a suitable man for his daughter, Lieschen secretly tells everyone that she will marry on one condition: that she may make coffee whenever she wishes. Naturally, she makes sure she gets both: a suitor and coffee!

The Suitcase Collective is made up of three adventurous musicians: Klaartje van Veldhoven (soprano), Renée Bekken (accordion) and Mattijs v.d. Woerd (baritone).

Date Sunday 19 April 2026 | 3:30 PM
Location:
Stichting Cultuurpodium Ontmoetingskerk
Bolwerk-Zuid 134,
4611 DX Bergen op Zoom

Cards to order via WWW.SCOBOZ.nl.:
Standard: €22.50
ANBO-PCOB Members & Bas Members: € 20.00
Friends of SCO & Youth up to 18 years: €17.50

Following this, drinks (coffee or tea) will be served.