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The Belgian counter-tenor, Jan Wouters, started studying at the secondary school Heilig-Graf (Music department) in Turnhout, amongst others in the singing class of Nele Geerinckx, graduated with greatest distinction (2008-2013). He was a laureate at the Princess Christina Competition Holland, and he became 1st Laureate and winner of the National Competition Belfius Classics in Brussels, Belgium. In 2018 he was a finalist in the international vocal competition ‘s-Hertogenbosch. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Singing/Counter-tenor Cum laude from the LUCA school of arts, campus Lemmens, in Leuven (2013-2016). He started studying singing with Gerda Lombaerts. He then studied at the Hochschüle für Musik und Theater in Munich with Professor Fenna Kügel-Seifried where he obtained his Master of Arts degree Concert Singing/Opera with greatest distinction (2016-2018). He attended master-classes with Maarten Koningsberger, Roberta Alexander, Monica Benvenuti, Janice Chapman, W. Stephen Smith and Kai Wessel. In addition, he received SLO, Specific teacher training at KISP (2018-2020).
During his studies, Jan Wouters been performing regularly as a soloist from Monteverdi, J.S. Bach to Rossini and new music. In 2015 he sang Edward Elgar's Sea Pictures: A world premiere for a counter-tenor to sing this song cycle with an orchestra. He had his first big opera debut in February 2017 at Prinzregententheater Munich in the mainrole of Jonathan Dove’s Flight as Refugee and Tolomeo in George Frideric Handel's Giulio Cesare. He made his debut as Oberon in a new production of Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Opera Zuid in April 2022. In January 2020, he sang the same role at Theaterakademie August Everding in Munich. In 2018, he created the roles of Herr C and Evengelizzatore in the world premiere of Liminal Space during the contemporary music festival Münchener Biennale. In 2016, he made his debut in the main character Refugee in Dove’s Flight at Munich’s Prinzregententheater. In October-November 2019, he made his company debut with Opera Ballet Vlaanderen in the ballet premiere of Cantus Firmus / Mea Culpa, based on cantatas by J.S. Bach and Heinrich Schütz. He performed Tolomeo in G.F. Handel's Giulio Cesare in Munich’s Reaktorhalle in 2017. In August 2021, he performed Oronte in Walpurgis’ Talestri with Kammeroper München.
Jan Wouters’ repertoire as a concert soloist includes J.S. Bach’s cantatas, Weihnachts-Oratorium BWV 248, Johannes-Passion BWV 245 and Matthäus-Passion BWV 244, Berlioz’ Les Nuits d’été, Charpentier’s Te Deum, Edward Elgar’s Sea Pictures, G.F. Handel's Messiah and Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne, Haydn’s Nelson Mass, Mitchell’s Cavell Mass, W.A. Mozart’s Requiem, Giovanni Battista Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, Purcell’s Come ye sons of art, Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle, Tuma’s Stabat Mater and Antonio Vivaldi's Gloria and Stabat Mater. He will go on tour with J.S. Bach’s Matthäus-Passion BWV 244 with philharmonie zuidnederland in March 2024. Jan Wouters is also a dedicated recitalist, singing E. Elgar's Sea Pictures, Finzi’s song cycle Let us garlands bring and Lieder by Gabriel Fauré, Hahn, Schubert, Strauss, Vandewege, Wolf and Strauss.
Jan Wouters has worked with directors such as Balázs Kovalik, Ola Mafaalani and Olivier Tambosi and performed with orchestras including Ensemble Octopus, Münchner Rundfunkorchester and Philharmonie Zuidnederland under the baton of conductors including Hartmut Haenchen, Jan Müller-Wieland and Ulf Schirmer. |
