Belgian soprano Hendrickje Van Kerckhove studied with Bernadette Degelin at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp and fulfilled her vocal education with Susan Roper. She acquired post-graduates at the Flanders Opera Studio and the Queen Elisabeth Musical College (with José van Dam and Susanna Eken).
Her international career took off at the Royal Theater la Monnaie as Kristin in the world première of Julie (Philippe Boesmans) with revivals at Wiener Festwochen and Festival d'Aix-en-Provence. Another important breakthrough came in 2005 with her debut at Bavarian State Opera in Arnaldo De Felice’s opera Medusa, followed by Oscar (Ballo in Maschera) and Voce dal Cielo (Don Carlo) led by Maestro Zubin Mehta, who invited her as well to sing Blonde (Entführung) in Tel-Aviv.
More recently Hendrickje Van Kerckhove appeared as Sand- und Taumännchen in the new production of Hänsel und Gretel at Nationale Opera Amsterdam, as Johanna Barker in Sweeney Todd and Soeur Constance in Dialogues des Carmélites at La Monnaie and as Anna in Intermezzo, by Richard Strauss at Concertgebouw Amsterdam (her debut in the Hall) under the baton of David Zinman. Upcoming she will again take part in a noteworthy world première, namely Frankenstein by Mark Grey, interpreting the role of the Au pair (La Monnaie, season 2018/2019). Under the baton of Hervé Niquet, she will make her debut as Missia Palmieri, or the title-role in Franz Lehar's La veuve joyeuse in a semi-staged production produced by Brussels Philharmonic and the Flemish Radio Choir (December 2018). In concert she will sing the solo soprano part with the Belgian National Orchestra in Beethoven's Egmont.
Career highlights include Hendrickje Van Kerckhove's house debut at Grand Teatro del Liceu as Blonde and at Theater an der Wien as Soeur Constance (Dialogues des Carmélites). The latter opera house engaging her subsequently as Maja in the world premiere of Die Besessenen by Johannes Kalizke and Najade in Ariadne auf Naxos.
Further noteworthy productions she took part in are : Quai Ouest - as Claire - by French composer Régis Campo (world première at Opéra national du Rhin Strasbourg in September 2014) ; Al gran sole carico d'amore - as Soprano - by Luigi Nono at Staatsoper unter den Linden Berlin ; Waiting for Ms Monroe - as Norma Jean - by Robin de Raaff at the Nederlandse Opera Amsterdam.
Meanwhile Hendrickje Van Kerckhove has repeatedly sung under the baton of conductors such as Enrique Mazzola, Kazushi Ono, Zubin Mehta, Ed Spanjaard, Paul Daniel, Andreas and Christoph Spering, Bertrand de Billy, Theodor Guschlbauer, Louis Langrée, J. Cl. Casadesus, Rani Calderon, Attilio Cremonesi, Philippe Herreweghe, Ottavio Dantone, Hartmut Haenchen, David Afkham, Christophe Rousset, Roland Böer, Hervé Niquet, Ingo Metzmacher, Ludovic Morlot, David Zinman and Marcus Bosch. Hendrickje Van Kerckhove was directed by G. Joosten, C. Loy, I. Van Hove, Fr. Dussenne, L. Bondy, R. Carsen, D. McVicar, A. Freyer, K. Holten, R. Castellucci, H. Kupfer, Kr. Warlikowski, W. Koeken, K. Mitchell, A. Hermanis and Kristian Frédric.
Called “RISING STAR” by ECHO she was offered a recital tour to Europe’s most prestigious concert halls as Bozar Brussels, Musikverein Vienna, Philharmonie de Luxembourg, Megaron Athens ... Meanwhile she has made herself a name as a refined recitalist.
