Since she was placed in the Semi Finals of the Queen Elisabeth Competition 2008, Iris performed the role of Pamina (Die Zauberflöte) and Zdenka (Arabella) in opera concerts led by doctor Julian Wachner in the “Festival International du Domaine Forget” and in the “Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival”. In this well known festival she already gave recitals with Belgian music (Mortelmans and De Boeck) and she performed in baroque concerts with Canadian counter tenor Daniel Taylor. With the Theatre of early music led by Daniel Taylor, Iris recorded a CD for Sony BMG Records called “The voice of Bach”.
Iris studied in the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp and completed a post graduate degree in the Operastudio of McGill Schulich School of Music in Montreal. She was coached by Joanne Kolomyjec, Denise Massé and Michael McMahon. Her current teacher is the well known American Baritone Stephen Salters. At McGill Iris performed in opera’s like L’Enfant et les Sortilèges, La vie Parisienne and Cosi fan tutte in the roles of La Chauve-Souris, La Baronne de Gondermarck and Despina.
In the Flemish Opera Iris made her debut as Emmie in Albert Herring, a production by Guy Joosten. She was also involved in the opera productions Zone Orfeo, Drift and Where’s my soul? by the Opera Company Transparant.
For the MusiMars Festival in Montreal Iris sang the Bachianas Brasilieras No.5 live for CBC radio with the famous Canadian cellist Matt Haimowitz.
As a soloist she also performed the Chichester Psalms by Bernstein in Jerusalem led by Aharon Harlap, in Milano she sang the Sacred Concerts by Duke Ellington led by Gabrieli Comeglio and in Sicily she was a soloist in Missa in Illo Tempore en Missa Concertata by Monteverdi both led by Roberto Gini and his Ensemble Concerto.
As a guest Iris has sung in BOZAR, DeSingel, Elisabethzaal, City Hall of Leuven, Mechelen, Bruges, Hasselt, Opéra de Liège etc. in concerts with the Begian Chamber Orchestra, the Brussels Philharmonic and the Brussels Jazz Orchestra.
Besides opera and recitals Iris also performs as an Oratorio singer. She has sung under the direction of Frieder Bernius in the Te Deum by Mendelssohn in Caen, in the Vesperae solennes de confessore by Mozart led by Robert Ingari in Montreal and in the Saint John’s Passion with St. Andrew and St. Paul Choir and Baroque Orchestra under the direction of Doctor Julian Wachner.
She also has great affinity with Lied and was asked to sing Mendelssohn recitals for the Klara Festival in Palais des Beaux Arts. Iris sings with accompanists like Jozef De Beenhouwer, Lionel Bams, Monica Florescu, Bart Van Caenegem and Liebrecht Vanbeckevoort.
Iris is also very passionate about Musical, Jazz, Tango... with her own ensemble “I due Quartetti “ she performs concerts through different styles and genres called “Classical with a swing”.
Thank you for accepting my friend request. I've enjoyed sampling your singing of such varied repertoire. Good luck with the performances of Cosi Fan Tutte. I'm a big fan of all the Mozart/Da Ponte operas!
Iris, Merci pour d'avoir accepté mon invitation. Ta voix est vraiment très belle et pleine d'émotion (surtout dans Pamina). Je suis ravie d'avoir pu t'entendre.
