|
The Danish bass-baritone, Jakob Vad, began his singing studies at The Royal Conservatory in Copenhagen in 2006., where he obtained his obtained Bachelor of Music degree (2006-2009; Main voice teacher: Helene Gjerris; Other teachers and coaches: Ulrich Stârk, Mats Knutson). He then studied at the Royal Danish Opera Academy in Copenhagen (2009-2012; Main voice teacher: Anne Margrethe Dahl; Other teachers and coaches: Fiona McSherry, Friedrich Gürtler, Thomas Darelius, Daniele Piatelli, Ebbe Knudsen (Drama), Hanna Hjørna (Drama), Marlene Smith (Dancing). In 2014 he took further studies in Spain at Madrid Opera Studio with Maestro Theodore Coresi as main teacher (Other teachers: Idit Arad, Laurence Verna, Ana Craciun). He is currently studying with Neil Semer. He has received multiple grants and scholarships including the prestigious Richard Wagner Scholarship for the Bayreuth Festival (2012) and Van Hauns Prize (2012) - one of the most significant prizes for young artists in Denmark. He won 2nd Prize in “Friends of the Opera Competition”, Denmark (2012).
Already in his early years while studying at the Royal Danish Music Academy, Jakob Vad came to be in increasing demand as both concert singer and opera soloist, and he made his debut at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, aged 24, in the role of Lackey in Ariadne auf Naxos in 2009. He has since sung the bass parts in most of the famous sacred works like W.A. Mozart's Requiem, George Frideric Handel's Messiah and J.S. Bach's Johannes-Passion BWV 245 and Weihnachts-Oratorium BWV 248 and many cantatas' Haydn's Schöpfung, Gabriel Fauré's Requiem, Maurice Duruflé's Requiem and Dvorak's Requiem, in collaboration with numerous of the most important orchestras and conductors in Denmark and Scandinavia. Amongst them the Danish National Symphony Orchestra/Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra, Odense Symphony Orchestra and Trinitatis Orchestra, led by conductors such as Frans Rasmussen, Michael Bojesen, Per Enevold, Helmuth Rilling and David Björkman.
As a freelancer, Jakob Vad regularly works with at main theatres in Denmark. Over the past years he has sung a number of roles with the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen most recently The Hunter Jan in the production of The Fairy in the Stream (2017). He has performed the role of Schaunard in La Bohème at Opera Hedeland (2017) as well as the role of Karl in the contemporary opera Nothing by David Bruce (2016) at The Danish National Opera, and Seneca in L’incoronazione di Poppea (2012) at Funens Opera. With the Copenhagen Opera Festival he sang the roles of Bretigny in Manon (2014) and Mephistopheles in Charles Gounod's Faust (2014) - for which he was awarded the Opera Talent of the Year prize. He has also performed Leporello in W.A. Mozart's Don Giovanni (2012), Gregorio in C. Gounod's Romeo and Juliette (2011) and several other roles at The Royal Theatre in Copenhagen.
Jakob Vad has also been in high demand abroad. He has performed main roles such as Guglielmo in W.A. Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte and Figaro in W.A. Mozart's Nozze di Figaro with Hamburger Kammeroper, Germany as well as the title role of W.A. Mozart's Don Giovanni in Bonn, Papageno in W.A. Mozart's Die Zauberflöte at Cuenca Opera in Spain and Albert in Werther in Russia at the Irkutsk Opera Festival.
Although doing the majority of his work within sacred music concerts and opera productions, Jakob Vad has a love for songs and lied-cycles. He has performed Schubert’s Winterreise and Robert Schumann's Myrthen Lieder and he regularly gives concerts with Danish songs by Nielsen and Heise.
During his career, Jakob Vad has had the pleasure of singing together with famous singers such as Patricia Petibon, Ann Petersen, Susanne Resmark, Johan Reuter, Stella Grigorian, Mindaugas Zimkus and Francois Borras. He has worked with some of the leading opera conductors, such as Robert Reimer and Friedemann Layer.
During the season 2016-2017 season Jakob Vad sang at PauseOperaen, Jyske Opera and Teater Hedeland. He was accompanied by pianist Elisabeth Holmegaard Nielsen for Lied recitals in Denmark and abroad, namely with music by famous Danish composer, Carl Nielsen; as well as oratorio with the Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra and the Odense Symphonic Orchestra. |
