BIOGRAPHY
Ms. van Roekel was noted for her “sparkling vocal technique” in her debut with Lyric Opera Cleveland as Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, a role she has sung previously to great critical acclaim. In her performance conducted by Anton Coppola with Metro Lyric Opera, she was lauded by critics for her “exquisite” Rosina. The New Jersey Star-Ledger wrote “...with a sweet, agile voice, Van Roekel was an ideal Rosina... she made everything seem so effortless... Tall, slender and with fine features, she also looked as good as she sounded.” Ms. van Roekel has also sung roles with Florida Grand Opera, Central City Opera, Chautauqua Opera, the Opera Theatre of Northern Virginia and Annapolis Opera.
In addition to the standard repertoire, Ms. van Roekel has an affinity for lesser known operas and contemporary music and is frequently called on to premiere new works. She is a frequent collaborator with American Opera Projects and has been involved in numerous projects over the past five years – most recently in previews of Séance on a Wet Afternoon, a new opera by Grammy and Academy Award winner, Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell).
This past year she was involved in several exciting premieres including Opera After Hours – a compilation of several short operas woven together by acclaimed director, Christopher Alden at New York City’s cutting-edge Zipper Factory Theater; the world premiere of Oresteia, - a multi-media opera by Iannis Xenakis performed in ancient greek at the Miller Theatre in New York City; and The Machine Awakes, composed by Stephen Andrew Taylor specifically for Ms. van Roekel with a commission by Sinfonia da Camera at the University of Illinois. The Machine Awakes will be released on CD in the fall of 2009 on Albany Records.
Ms. van Roekel is also in demand as a concert soloist and maintains an extensive roster of oratorio works. Recently she was cited for her “beautiful, clear voice with impressive agility” when she performed in a televised broadcast of Haydn’s The Creation with the Virginia Symphony under the baton of JoAnn Falletta. She also brought her “fresh sweetness” and “well-focused voice” to Messiah performances with the Master Chorale of Washington, Santa Fe Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and Columbia Pro Cantare. Other organizations she has performed with include the National Symphony Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Mostly Mozart Festival, the Baltimore Choral Arts Society, and numerous appearances at Carnegie Hall (Brahms and Mozart Requiems, Vivaldi Gloria, Haydn The Creation) with the New England Symphonic Ensemble, the North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra – including a world premiere of Stephen Dankner’s Symphony No. 7, conducted by Klauspeter Seibel. Raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan, she has returned often as a featured artist with the Kalamazoo Bach Festival and the Kalamazoo Symphony. In the fall of 2009 she will return with the Virginia Symphony to sing Messiah in a televised broadcast on PBS.
In addition to her concert and opera credits, Ms. van Roekel is a passionate recitalist, drawing from a diverse song repertoire. She has been heard in concerts with the Steans Institute at the Ravinia Festival, the Friday Morning Music Club and Arts Club of Washington, the Music for Summer Nights series in Kalamazoo, the Northbrook Public Library Concert series of greater Chicago, numerous recitals sponsored by American Opera Projects featuring all new musical compositions, and most recently at the PEN World Voices Festival featuring composer Daniel Felsenfeld. Ms. van Roekel also enjoys singing jazz and musical theater. She was a featured artist with the New York City Ballet, performing American standards under the baton of George Steel and his Gotham City Orchestra in St-Rémy, France.
She has received many awards and honors that include being a 1st Place winner of the National Symphony Orchestra’s Concerto Competition, a Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and a two-time award winner in the Washington International Competition for Singers. Ms. van Roekel is also an accomplished pianist and holds degrees from the University of Michigan and the University of Maryland.
