Mulleman - "Moravian Folk Songs" for soprano & ensemble
by Katrien Baerts (sopr.), Asko|Schönberg & Clark Rundell (dir.)

Live recording NTR, NPO Radio 4
25 Jan 2024, Muziekgebouw aan het IJ, Amsterdam

Loosely based on Moravian Folk Poetry in Songs, folk songs collection by Leos Janacek

Commissioned by Het Collectief
Première Espace Garages, Ottignies, 1 Apr 2022

(2022) Mulleman - Moravian Folk Songs (Katrien Baerts, Asko|Schönberg, Clark Rundell)

Belgian soprano Katrien Baerts has been noted for her powerful and sensual voice as well as for her profound and heartfelt interpretation.

Season 2017/2018 starts with her debut at the Salzburger Festspiele with Klangforum Wien and returning to the Concertgebouw Amsterdam with Bachs 'Cantate BWV 202' and 'Pulcinella' by Stravinsky. Further performances will also include 'Mysteries of the Macabre' at the Ligeti Festival, 'Requiem' by Brahms in Switzerland and a new song recital. Composer Rob Zuidam is also completing a new work for her.

Ms. Baerts made her debut at the National Opera in Amsterdam in a new production of Lulu, and made her first appearence in Tokyo with 'House of the Sleeping Beauties' by Kris Defoort. Ms. Baerts performed several world premières at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, as Clara in Loevendie's opera 'The Rise of Spinoza' and as the title role in Zuidam's 'Suster Bertken'. In Jakarta, Indonesia Ms. Baerts created the title role in Prabowo's dance-opera 'Gandari'. Further roles include Micaëla in 'Carmen', Amina in 'La sonnambula', Despina in 'Così fan tutte', Miss Wordsworth in 'Albert Herring', Stimme des Falken and Hüter der Schwelle in 'Die Frau ohne Schatten' and Amore and Valletto in 'l'Incoronazione di Poppea'.

Her concert repertoire includes 'Stabat Mater' by Pergolesi, 'St. John Passion' by Bach, 'Die Jahreszeiten' by Haydn, Mahlers '4th Symphony' and 'Les Illuminations' by Britten, with orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Ms. Baerts' debut at the Barbican Center in London was enthusiastically received by the press. She toured with the program of her latest and worldwide acclaimed album of Alban Berg's 'Sieben frühe Lieder' and the 'Maeterlinck Lieder' by Zemlinsky.

Ms. Baerts is a graduate of the Dutch National Opera Academy and was selected to take part in the 'International Lied Masterclasses' by Udo Reinemann and guest professors. She was a semi-finalist of the Queen Elisabeth Competition and obtained a Master's degree at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels in both voice and violin.

(2022) Mulleman - Moravian Folk Songs (Katrien Baerts, Asko|Schönberg, Clark Rundell)

Tim Mulleman