Linde Rieu (16) makes her debut in the spectacular musical Bokkenrijders. 'I want to show that I'm not in it because of my last name' March 2, 2026 De Limburger, by Ivar Hoekstra Photos: Bjorn Frins. It will be her debut in a major musical: Linde Rieu (16) plays the youngest daughter of Suzan Seegers in Bokkenrijders (Goat Riders: a Limburg legend). Linde is the daughter of Pierre Rieu and granddaughter of André. "I want to show that I'm not in it because of my last name. Musical theatre is my passion, and I consider it a great honor to play Suzan Seegers' daughter." In the musical Bokkenrijders, Linde Rieu plays Johanna Fransen, the youngest daughter of Anna Fransen, played by lead actress Suzan Seegers. "Johanna is a very smart person who doesn't let anyone fool her," Linde says. To be fair, "smart" isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you first meet her. Linde is very friendly, but also a bit shy, like so many 16-year-old girls. But that shyness disappears when she's on stage. "Then I go into acting mode and I can easily play a smart girl." Joyce Lenssen of Theater group Maastricht, who was present for the interview, fully agrees. "We shot the publicity photos this week, and then you see a complete transformation: chin forward, tough look: that's when Linde truly becomes Johanna." She's certainly not new to this role; Linde has been playing with 't Mestreechs Volleks Tejater (Maastricht theater group) for several years under the direction of Peter Noten. "I share the role of Johanna with Peter's daughter Belle. At the theater group, I've performed in the musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, first in the children's ensemble and now in the adult ensemble. So, I've performed in musicals before, but never in such a large production. This is a dream come true for me." Preparatory Training She was impressed by musicals from a young age. "As a child, I saw The Sound of Music at Christmas—it's quite possible it was at my grandfather's house. It made a huge impression on me, and I've seen it dozens of times now. I also regularly go to musicals, and after graduating from pre-university education (VWO) next year, I also want to enroll in a musical theater program. I'm just not sure yet whether I'll do it in Tilburg or Amsterdam. I can do a preparatory program in Tilburg, which involves taking classes on a few Saturdays, so I might apply for that next year. However, that doesn't mean you'll have priority admission to the program afterward. The fact that I'm currently performing in Bokkenrijders doesn't count for the audition committee; you have to demonstrate it during the entrance audition." And Linde is looking forward to showcasing herself as a musical actress. "Also to prove that I wasn't chosen because of my last name. Yes, I might attract more attention because I'm André's granddaughter and Pierre's daughter. People will be more likely to form opinions about me. That's exciting on the one hand, but also a challenge on the other." Naturally, Grandpa André is incredibly proud of his granddaughter, but he doesn't overload Linde with advice. "If I need advice, I can always turn to him, but he doesn't put pressure on me like, 'You have to do it this way or that.' And my parents don't either; they're protectively present in the background, but I'm free to chart my own course." Villa Volta (An attraction in the amusement park Efteling in the Netherlands. It is a rare type of ride known as a madhouse, a variation of a haunted house). When she was asked to appear in this musical, she didn't know much about the Goat Riders. "I only knew them from the Villa Volta attraction at Efteling, but now that I've delved deeper, I'm impressed by the story. What do you do when everything is taken from you and you can no longer even feed your children? Anna, played by Suzan Seegers, joins the Goat Riders purely to save her children. She didn't do it for herself or anyone else, but for her children. Her only option was to join the gang." A gang that was rumored to fly through the air on goats at all times of the day and night. "The mystique surrounding the Goat Riders really appeals to me. I'm also a real fan of mysterious films, the Harry Potter series, for example. I've seen them so often; I can practically eat those movies." Playing your first musical role alongside Suzan Seegers isn't something many aspiring musical talents are given. "I haven't met her yet; that will be at the first rehearsal in May. I'm really looking forward to it; I can learn so much from her! Just like from Milan van Waardenburg and Buddy Vedder." (Dutch musical stars). It's going to be a special summer for the Rieu family. From June 5th to 27th, granddaughter Linde will be performing at De Geusselt Stadium, and starting July 2nd, it's grandfather André who will be leading the way with his concerts at Vrijthof Square. "Luckily, there's no overlap, so we can go see each other." Performances from June 5–27, 2026. 50,000 tickets already sold for the spectacular musical Bokkenrijders. Three months before the premiere of Bokkenrijders, more than 50,000 tickets have already been sold for the musical, which will be performed in June at the Geusselt Stadium in Maastricht. Producer Frans Hendrickx: "More than 50,000 tickets sold is a milestone we've never experienced before for one of our major spectacular productions. It's fantastic that there's so much interest in the Limburg legend. Behind the scenes, we're busy with all the preparations so we can start rehearsals in May with the cast, extras, creatives, and crew." The producers also announced that, in addition to Linde Rieu and Belle Noten, musical star Danique Dusée will join the cast. Together they play the daughters of Suzan Seegers' character.