Op zoek naar Maria
Op zoek naar Maria (Looking for Maria) is a talent competition program that aired in Belgium on VTM. It premiered on 25 March 2009. The premise of the series was to find a musical theatre performer to play the role of Maria von Trapp in the 2009 Albert Verlinde and Roel Vente revival of The Sound of Music at the Efteling Theatre. The show is hosted by Koen Wauters and featured Frank Van Laecke, Linda Lepomme, and Peter de Smet as the judges for the show.[1]
Op zoek naar Maria
- Flemish:
- Koen Wauters (host)
- Frank Van Laecke (judge)
- Linda Lepomme (judge)
- Peter de Smet (judge)
- Dutch:
- Frits Sissing (host)
- Pia Douwes (judge)
- Jamai Loman (judge)
- Carline Brouwer (judge)
- Richard Groenendijk (judge)
Belgium, Netherlands
1
10-11
25 March (Flemish), 21 February 2021 (Dutch) –
3 June 2009 (Flemish), 4 April 2021 (Dutch)
Following a public telephone vote, 27-year-old Deborah De Ridder was chosen as Maria with 25-year-old Fleur Brusselmans as the runner up and Liv Van Aelst in third place.
A commercial advertising the show, featuring over 200 dancers in it, seemingly spontaneously, to "Do-Re-Mi" in Antwerpen-Centraal railway station, has received over 20,000,000 hits on YouTube.[2]
A similar format of Op zoek naar Maria has been used as well in The Netherlands in 2021 taking an unknown singer and placing the winner in the lead role of Maria for the 2021 performances in The Netherlands. The show is hosted by Frits Sissing and featured Pia Douwes, Jamai Loman, Carline Brouwer and Richard Groenendijk as the judges for the show. It was the fifth Dutch talent show to be produced by AVRO, 10 years after Op zoek naar Evita, Op zoek naar Joseph, Op zoek naar Mary Poppins, Op zoek naar Zorro and Op zoek naar Annie. In the final, on 4 April, Nandi Van Beurden was announced as the winner of the series. This was followed by Op zoek naar Danny & Sandy in late 2022, which was won by Tristan van der Lingen and Danique Graanoogst.[3]
A similar format has been used as well in the United Kingdom in 2006, with the show How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria? taking an unknown singer and placing the winner in the lead role for the 2006 performances in the West End. On 16 September 2006, Connie Fisher was announced the winner of this show.[4]