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The Dutch tenor, Jan-Willem Schaafsma, studied Theology at Universtiteit Kampen (1994-1997). He completed his studies at the Royal Conservatory (The Hague) (1998-22004) and received his Master of Arts degree in Voice and Opera at the Dutch National Opera Academy (DNOA) in 2004. He is known for his versatility and diversity in style and repertoire. In DNOA he sang several roles, among which Lysander in Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night’s Dream and La Théière/La Rainette in Ravel's L’enfant et les Sortilèges, focusing on the character Fach and comprimario roles.
Jan-Willem Schaafsma is a self-employed opera singer since July 2004. After his graduation he sang Dr. Cajus in Verdi's Falstaff in the IVAI festival, Tel Aviv, conducted by maestro Paul Nadler. Main parts in his repertoire include Phaeton in Lully's Phaeton, Candide in Leonard Bernstein's Candide and Acis in George Frideric Handel's Acis & Galatea, all in tours throughout The Netherlands. At the Nederlandse Reisopera (Dutch Touring Opera) he sang (2009-2014) Candide, Belmonte in W.A. Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail) and La Barca (Banchieri). At the Dutch National Opera (DNO) he performed (2012-2014) in Platée (Rameau), Deidamia (G.F. Handel) and Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner). Recently, he performed Gastone in La Traviata (Verdi), with Opera Zuid; Pong in Puccini's Turandot and Lenski in Tchaikovsky's Jevgeni Onegin, both concert versions. In 2018 he performed Laërte in Thomas’ Hamlet with Opera2day, touring 25 performances in The Netherlands. Future performances include Sieben Todsünden (Weill) and The Nose (Dmitri Shostakovich), with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (October 2018), and a main part in the newly written opera Dejima, in Tokyo.
In concert, Willem Schaafsma has worked with Ed Spanjaard (Dvořak's Stabat Mater) and with Reinbert de Leeuw, performing the arias of J.S. Bach's Matthäus Passion (BWV 244) both with the Limburgs Symfonie Orkest (2012-2013). His oratorio repertoire is extensive and ranges from J.S. Bach and G.F. Handel to B. Britten and Luciano Berio. Also, he will make his debut with the Nederlandse Bachvereniging in their new J.S. Bach-programme Café Zimmermann, in the spring of 2019.
Jan-Willem Schaafsma has worked with conductors such as Edo de Waart, Ed Spanjaard, Kenneth Montgomery, Reinbert de Leeuw, José Esandi, Jeremy Carnall, Ivor Bolton and Gabriel Garrido. |
