The versatile Belgian bass-baritone Werner Van Mechelen is recognized as one of the leading singers in his field, both in the world of opera and in concert and art song performance on an international level.

Werner Van Mechelen studied at the Lemmens Institute in Leuven with Roland Bufkens and attended masterclasses with Dietrich Fischer- Dieskau, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Robert Holl, Mitsuko Shirai, Hartmut Höll, and Malcolm King. He has received numerous international awards, including prizes at the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels, the International Vocal Competition in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and Toulouse, the Francisco Viñas International Singing Competition in Barcelona, and the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition.

As a guest singer, he has recently appeared as Kothner in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at the Bayreuth Festival, Peter in Kinderen der Zee by Mortelmans at the Royal Opera House La Monnaie in Brussels, Musiklehrer in Ariadne auf Naxos at the Saarländisches Staatstheater in Saarbrücken and the Flemish Opera Antwerp, Alberich in Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Staatsoper Hamburg, Wolfram in Tannhäuser at the Saarländisches Staatstheater Saarbrücken, and Pandolphe in Massenet’s Cendrillon at the Komische Oper Berlin.

In addition to his operatic career, Werner Van Mechelen is also highly successful in the concert world, performing as a guest soloist with the Freiburger Bachchor in Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, in Mozart’s Requiem, Carmina Burana, and more. He is also very active in the art song repertoire, with performances of Schubert’s Winterreise, Schumann’s Dichterliebe, and thematic song programs such as Light and Darkness and A Homage to César Franck.

His discography reflects his artistic versatility, featuring recordings of lieder by Franz Schubert, Richard Strauss, Claude Debussy, and Francis Poulenc, as well as opera recordings of Mendelssohn’s Elias, Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Le Nozze di Figaro, Pergolesi’s Livietta e Tracollo, and Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Das Rheingold. Additionally, he has recorded works by Flemish composers such as Lodewijk Mortelmans and Peter Benoit, whose music holds a special place in his heart.

Jozef De Beenhouwer first trained as a pharmacist, but he has devoted himself entirely to music since his graduation. He started his musical studies at the age of five. From 1964 on he studied with the Belgian pianist Lode Backx — at first privately, later at the Chapelle Reine Elisabeth in Argenteuil (Brussels) (1971-74) and at the Antwerp Royal Flemish Conservatory. That granted him in 1975 its most advanced degree, the “Hoger Diploma”, summa cum laude, as well as the De Vries- Tolkowsky Prize; subsequently in 1977 he received the Annie Rutzky Prize. In the 1990s he studied privately with David Kimball in Florence, Italy.

He has performed as a soloist both in recitals and in works with orchestra in most European countries, in South Korea and in the USA. He is also a renowned accompanist of Lieder, performing with famous singers such as Ria Bollen, Robert Holl, Werner Van Mechelen, Nina Stemme, Peter Gijsbertsen and Liesbeth Devos. Finally, he is active as a chamber musician, notably in the Robert Schumann Piano Trio, which he co- founded with the leader and the first cellist of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.

Jozef De Beenhouwer has made innumerable radio and television recordings at home and abroad, as well as a number of LPs and CDs. Among the latter there are some twenty-five on the Belgian Phaedra label, including recordings of Brahms, of Schumann and of Belgian composers. Twice he was awarded the Cecilia Prize, in 1984 for his recording of piano works by Peter Benoit, and in 1986 for his recording of piano works by Joseph Ryelandt.

In 1986 Jozef De Beenhouwer gave the first performance of Robert Schumann’s Concertsatz (1839) with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and in 1992, that of a concert movement Clara Schumann wrote in 1847, both unfinished works which he completed himself and which

were published by Breitkopf & Härtel. In 1991 he made the first complete recording, on 3 CDs (now available on CPO, Germany), of the piano works of Clara Schumann. For his outstanding efforts on behalf of the works of Robert and Clara Schumann he was awarded the prestigious Robert Schumann Prize of the city of Zwickau in 1993.

For his many years of dedication to music by Flemish composers, in 2010, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award of Klara, the classical- music channel of the ‘Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep–VRT’; in March 2019, he was rewarded with the ‘Prijs Peter Benoit’ of the Peter Benoit Fund.

From 1983 to 2013 Jozef De Beenhouwer was a principal piano teacher at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerpen. From 1990 through 2015 he was artistic director of the Brussels Lunchtime Concerts. He is regularly invited to sit in the juries of international piano competitions.

Belgian singer Liesbeth Devos has established herself as a stylistically highly versatile soprano. Next season she will make her debut as Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Opera Zuid as well as various concerts with Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Slovenia Philharmonic Orchestra, and Brussels Philharmonic. Her acting, dancing, and oboe training make Liesbeth an all-round performer with a deep passion for chamber music, opera, recitals with orchestra, and self-produced projects.

Liesbeth won first prize at the Kurt-Leimer Wettbewerb (Zürich), was a finalist of the Liedwettbewerb des Bayerischen Rundfunks (Bayreuth), and of the Wigmore Hall/Independent Opera Voice Fellowship. In March 2023, she received the Peter Benoit Prize for her longstanding dedication to the music of Flemish composers.

Her passion for art song and poetry makes her a highly sought-after performer in chamber music. She sang Schönberg’s String Quartet No. 2 with the Taurus Quartet and has performed in various programs with Het Collectief, the Malibran Quartet, and the German Asasello Quartet. Her Phaedra CD Liebesfrühling, featuring songs and duets by Clara and Robert Schumann, received worldwide acclaim. Together with Jozef De Beenhouwer, she has formed a long-standing song duo and has recorded several CDs, including works by August De Boeck (Phaedra) and Gustave Huberti (Et’cetera). She can also be heard on recordings featuring works by Bram Van Camp (The Feasts of Fear and Agony [Fuga Libera]) and Lodewijk Mortelmans (De Kinderen der Zee [Phaedra]).

Liesbeth Devos was coached by Patricia McCaffrey, Elly Ameling, Lieve Suys, Lucienne Van Deyck, Guy Joosten, and José Van Dam. She leads her own vocal class at the Kunsthumaniora Brussels, where she passionately supports and nurtures young talent.