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The Dutch baritone, Jan-Willem Baljet, studied with Udo Reinemann at the Conservatory of Utrecht. There he gained cum laude the diploma of 'performing musician '. He also studied at the Conservatoire Régionale de Metz (France) which he also finished with excellence (premier prix). He continued his studies at the Mozarteum in Salzburg (Austria) with Breda Zakotnik, Mitsuko Shirai en Hartmut Höll.
Following his studies, Jan-Willem Baljet appeard regularly on the opera podiums in Holland and France, among others as Papageno in W.A. Mozart's Die Zauberflöte at the Festival of Auvers-sur-Oise. In the 1996-1997 season he was engaged by the Internationaal Opera Centrum Nederland and made his debut at the Nationale Reisopera as Zwijntje in Aap verslaat de Knekelgeest by Peter Schat conducted by Vincent de Kort. The same year he appeared in Begium in Don Carlos by G. Verdi conducted by Ed Spanjaard. In 1998, he took part in the world première of the opera de tweede reis by Joost Kleppe conducted by Jacob Israël de Haan. In 1999, he made his debut at the Flemish opera group Transparent in the opera Deine Lippen,sie küssen so süss. He also appeared oin L'Enfant et les Sortileges (l'horloge comtoise and le chat) by M. Ravel, Il trionfo dell'onore (Capitano Bombarda) by D. Scarlatti, Il matremonio segreto (Il conte) by D. Cimarosa, Dido and Aeneas (Aeneas) by H. Purcell, Les Mamelles de Tiresias (Presto) by Francis Poulenc, Het zwarte blondje (Massaco) by Louis Andriessen and Director Frank in Die Fledermaus by J. Strauss under the baton of the Canadian conductr Timothy Vernon. In 2002 he took part in the world premiere of Tan Dun's opera Tea in Tokyo and Amsterdam directed by Pierre Audi, and also in Die Soldaten by Alois Zimmermann directed by Willy Decker under the baton of Hartmut Haenchen.
Jan-Willem Baljet sings regularly solo parts in oratorios, such as Requiem of Gabriel Fauré, Weill, Dvorak and Bruckner, cantatas, Johannes-Passion (BWV 245) and Matthäus-Passion (BWV 244) by J.S. Bach, Carmina Burana by Orff. He is sought-after soloist in concers, such as Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen and Kindertotenlieder by Gustav Mahler, The Bells and Frühlingskantate by Sergei Rachmaninov, The Hollow Man by K.v. Baaren, Die Rose Pilgerfahrt by Robert Schumann. He also gives regular Lieder recitals in Holland, Belgium, France and Germany with the pianists David Bollen and Pieter Grimbergen. He has worked with orchestras as the Nieuw Ensemble, Het Gelders Orkest, the Holland Wind Players and the Mendelssohnorkest, and with conductors as Ed Spanjaard, Nicholas McGegan, Lawrence Renes, Jurjen Hempel and Rudolf Werthen n. Recently Jan-Willem won the 2nd prize at the Erna Spoorenberg Vocalisten Concours. |
