Theatre director Claire van Kampen dies aged 71

British theatre director and composer Claire van Kampen has died aged 71, her husband actor Sir Mark Rylance has confirmed.

Van Kampen, who was the primary feminine musical director at each the Royal Shakespeare Firm and the Nationwide Theatre, died on Saturday after being identified with most cancers, a press release shared on behalf of Sir Mark and her daughter Juliet mentioned.

They described her as “one of many funniest and (most) inspiring ladies we now have ever identified”.

Her theatre credit additionally embrace writing the play Farinelli And The King, which starred her husband and was nominated for a number of Olivier Awards together with finest new play, and various Tony Awards.

She died within the German city of Kassel surrounded by her household, the assertion mentioned. Saturday additionally marked Sir Mark’s sixty fifth birthday.

“We thank her for imbuing our lives together with her magic, music, laughter, and love,” it added.

“Ring the bell, sound the trumpets reverie, one thing is finished, one thing is starting. One of many nice clever ones has handed.”

Van Kampen and Sir Mark married in 1989, the identical 12 months she composed the music for the Royal Shakespeare Firm manufacturing of Hamlet which he starred in.

She went on to compose unique scores for Broadway productions together with True West, Boeing-Boeing and La Bete, in addition to diversifications of Shakespeare’s Twelth Evening and Richard IIII.

After coaching on the Royal School of Music in London, the place she studied music concept and piano, van Kampen joined the Royal Shakespeare Firm in 1986.

She joined the Royal Nationwide Theatre the next 12 months, and went on to function a creative affiliate to Sir Mark at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre within the capital.

Most just lately, van Kampen was Globe affiliate and senior analysis fellow for early fashionable music on the Globe, in addition to a artistic affiliate on the Previous Vic Theatre in London.

She additionally labored as a Tudor music advisor and prepare for the PJ television series Wolf Hall.

Van Kampen had two daughters together with her earlier husband, architect Christopher van Kampen.

Her daughter Nataasha, a filmmaker, died aged 28 in 2012 after struggling a mind haemorrhage.