Born: Holland

The Dutch soprano, Els Bongers, completed her musical training at the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam in 1991. She was taught by Margreet Honig and Jan-Hendrik Rootering and participated in master-classes with Elly Ameling, Kurt Equiluz, Marco Bakker and Noel Lee. She also learned classical ballet with Theo Bransz.

Since 1990 Els Bongers has co-operated regularly in productions of the Dutch Opera. She has been also sought-after soloist in oratorios, such as J.S. Bach's Matthäus-Passion (BWV 244), as well as concerts with chamber orchestra. Her repertoire includes works of Schubert, Ives, Francis Poulenc, Leonard Bernstein, Bach, Mozart and many others. Since 1992 she has sung solo parts with Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir under the direction of Ton Koopman - in Holland and abroad. The same year she sang the title role of Christine in The Phantom of the Opera with an amateur production in Apeldoorn. In 1993, she substituted for the same role at the VSB Circustheater. She performed the role of Joke de Kruijff between October 1994 and August 1996 at the foundation Musical of Amsterdam. She interpreted the role of Mabel in De Piraten van Penzance. In November 1998 she could be heard and seen as Belina in De Tijd-Affaire, a musical spectacle on the occasion of 100-year anniversary of Rabobank. At the opening of the Holland Festival 1999 she played King Arthur with Huis a/d Amstel.

Source: Operakoor Amadeus Website, English translation by Aryeh Oron (May 2005)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (May 2005)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Ton Koopman

Soprano

BWV 163, BWV 196, BWV 214, BWV 215
VHS: BWV 106

Links to other Sites

Solisten bij Operakoor Amadeus [Dutch]

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