Katrien Baerts

Rising young Belgian soprano Katrien Baerts graduated with great distinction at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels in 2008, where she was awarded several prizes. From there, she joined the Dutch National Opera Academy, where she performed roles as Annio (La clemenza di Tito), Miss Wordsworth (Albert Herring), Despina (Così fan tutte), Amore and Valletto (l’Incoronazione di Poppea).
After receiving her Masters degree in opera in 2010, she was invited to make her acclaimed debut at the Concertgebouw in the title role of Suster Bertken with Reinbert de Leeuw (recorded by Attacca), as well as to perform Johanna II (Rage d’amours) with the Residentie Orkest alongside Claron McFadden. At the Queen Elisabeth Competition for Voice in 2011, Katrien achieved a place in the semi-finals.
As a concert singer, her repertoire includes major oratoria as well as contemporary music. In the summer of 2012, Katrien made her well-received debut at the Festival de Saintes in France in amongst others the Sieben frühe Lieder by Alban Berg with the Belgian chamber music ensemble Het Collectief. Earlier in the same season she performed the world première of Robert Zuidam’s Canciones del Alma at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam as well as his McGonagall-Lieder at the Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ. An avid chamber musician, Katrien frequently gives recitals with her regular piano accompanist Bart Verheyen, with whom she became first laureate of the Forte Competition 2011.