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Charles Dekeyser Biography
The Belgian bass Charles Dekeyser (Ghent, 1986), started with singing lessons under soprano Martine Reyners at the age of 16 years, then he studied at the Brussels Royal Conservatoire under bass baritone Marcel Vanaud . In 2008 he was nominated as laureate at the Concours National de Chant de Verviers-Prix Jacques Dôme. Then he continued his singing studies at the Flanders Opera Studio where he obtained in June 2010 the certificate of Laureate of the Flanders Opera Studio, voice option. He then studied for four years at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel tutored by José Van Dam. He therefore received a scholarship granted by Schelstraete Delacourt Associates nv-sa.
In 2014 Charles participates in the Queen Elisabeth Competition where he becomes semi-finalist.
During the season 2015/2016 he is member of the International Opera Studio Opernhaus Zürich.
During his artistic training, he participates in many master classes both in Belgium and abroad with under more Helmut Deutsch, Graham Johnson, Sarah Walker, Micaela van Gegerfelt and Pietro Rizzo. As laureate at the Académie européenne de musique du Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, he participates in master classes with Susanna Eken, Sarah Connolly and Jean-Yves Ruf. In 2013 he is admitted by ENOA (European network of opera academies) to participate in workshops with Nelly Miricioiu at the Latvian National Opera in Riga (Latvia). In Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh (G.B.) within the framework of the Britten Pears Young Artist Program, he participates in master classes on Schubert lieder with Christoph Prégardien, Malcolm Martineau and Richard Stokes.
At the International Opera Academy he participates in several opera productions impersonating the characters of La Mort in La Mort au Bal masqué (Brackx) and of Melisso in Alcina (Händel). At the Opera Royal de Wallonie in Liège, and at the Opera of Rouen, he sings the role of Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte (Mozart). In 2010 he makes his debut at the Flanders Opera, in the role of L’Ombra di Nino in Semiramide (Rossini). In 2011 he is invited by La Monnaie in Les Huguenots (Meyerbeer) and in 2012 he sings in Lulu (Berg).
At the Verbier Festival 2014, he sings Don Fernando in Fidelio (Beethoven) and Brander in La Damnation de Faust (Berlioz).
At the Flemish Opera, he performs in <3RT 2GET, an opera production about Mozart/Da Ponte. During the season 2015/2016 Charles makes his debut at the Opernhaus Zürich as Philidels Geist and the Waldgeist in King Arthur (Purcell) and as the doctor in Pelléas et Mélisande (Debussy).
He performs under the baton of renowned conductors such as Marc Minkowski, Alberto Zedda, Fabio Luisi, Ludovic Morlot, Charles Dutoit, Sir Christopher Warren-Green, Giovanni Antonini, Christian Arming, Laurence Cummings, Almo Volmer, Herve Niquet, Alain Altinoglu and others.
Charles is also developing a high affinity for oratorium and Lied repertoire. He gives several recitals with pianist Dmytro Sukhovienko (Bozar Brussels, Euterpe Kortrijk), and with the Ensembl’Arenski (Euterpe Kortrijk). Also as soloist he sings in Dixit Dominus (Händel); Mélodies Russes (M.I.M. Brussels); Chamber music projects on Brahms; Requiem (Mozart); Juanelo, the Charles V oratorium (Brossé); C’est moi le monstre, production with P.Platel (Festival van Vlaanderen); Messa di Gloria (Donizetti); Die Schöpfung (Haydn); La Petite Messe Solennelle (Rossini), the Messiah (Händel). In 2012, with les Musiciens du Louvre, he performs the St.Matthew passion (Bach) in several European concert halls, performances which also take him to the Festival of Beaune, The Festival Ré Majeure (Ile de Ré) and the Köthinger Bachfesttage.
With the National Orchestra of Belgium, Charles is singing in 2013 the Mass nr 1 (Schubert) at the Gala Concert soloists Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel (Bozar Brussels). Again with Les Musiciens du Louvre, he sings the Mass in C minor (Mozart) and Bach cantates in Japan and several European concert halls and Les huit scenes de Faust by Berlioz (MC2 Grenoble). Then, at the Vlaamse Opera, he sings Scènes de Faust with soprano Liesbeth Devos and pianist Lucas Blondeel.
At the Festival de Wallonie, with the soloists of the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, he participates in the concert l’Amour à la Chapelle, l’Amour dans la Musique. With Les Musiciens du Louvre, he sings the Bach’s Mass in B minor in Essen, Amsterdam and Lausanne, concert that he will perform again in Vienna March 2014. He also impersonates the role of Paulus in Paulus (Mendelssohn) with the Brussels Philarmonic and Vlaams Radio Koor (Flagey, Brussels). With the Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège and Collegium Vocale Gent, he sings as soloist in the Grosse Messe (Mozart). At La Monnaie, with the Orchestre symphonique de la Monnaie he is singing the bass solo in the concertante Pulcinella (Stravinsky), concert performed again during the Christmas Concert 2013 at the Royal Palace Brussels. As part of a tribute to Gerard Mortier, Charles is invited by the Flanders Opera to sing Lieder von Mahler and for Odegand by Night (Ghent Festival of Flanders 2014) he sings the romantic recital Nacht und Traüme. As laureat of SWUK 2015, he realizes the recording of the CD To the Music/An die Musik. Also in 2015, with the G.O.V. Charles makes his debut as Christ in the St.Matthew Passion (J.S.Bach) and he sings in Madrid the Requiem (Mozart) with the Orquesta Y Coro Nacionales de España.
During the Mozartwoche 2017 in Salzburg, Charles will sing the Requiem of Mozart under the baton of Marc Minkowski.
