Jean Broekhuizen is quickly being recognized as a promising young
mezzo-soprano in the operatic world. A frequent contest winner, Miss Broekhuizen was a National Semifinalist
in the Metropolitan Opera Auditions in 2005, and has won the Wisconsin district and been an Upper Midwest Regional
Finalist in that same competition three years in a row (2003-2006). She was also presented with the Outstanding
Mezzo Soprano Award at the Upper Midwest Regionals of the Met Auditions in 2005. In the spring of 2007, Jean was
the recipient of a Study Grant by the Metropolitan Opera National Council Education Fund. Miss Broekhuizen has
also been a Semifinalist in the Houston Grand Opera's Eleanor McCollum Competition (2007), and a finalist in both
the Liederkranz Competition (2004), and the Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation Competition for Voice (2005).
The 2011-2012 season marks Jean’s fourth season with the Oper Leipzig as a member of
their solo Ensemble. She will debut three new roles in Leipzig this season, Fox in Janacek’s CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN,
dama di Lady Macbeth in MACBETH, and Zaida in IL TURCO IN ITALIA. Jean season in Leipzig also includes the mezzo solo
in MOZART’S C MINOR MASS in the Leipzig Ballet’s acclaimed GROSSE MESSE choreographed by Uwe Schulz, as well as reprising
the roles of Rosina (BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA), Hänsel (HÄNSEL UND GRETEL), Dorabella (COSI FAN TUTTE), Second Lady (DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE),
and Clarice/Linetta in THE LOVE FOR THREE ORANGES.
Jean will remain in Leipzig for the 2012-2013 season, during which she will add the roles of
Fenena (NABUCCO) and Farzana (Wagner’s DIE FEEN) to her repertoire, as well as cover Komponist in ARIADNE AUF NAXOS, and reprise
the roles of Rosina, Dorabella, Hänsel, Fox, and Zweite Dame, among others.
During the 2010-2011 season Jean made her Florentine Opera (Milwaukee, WI USA) mainstage debut
as Sorceress and Huntsman in a double bill of DIDO AND AENEAS and VENUS AND ADONIS. She also continued her engagement at the Oper
Leipzig, where she sang Dorabella in the Leipzig premiere of Peter Konwitschny’s COSI FAN TUTTE, as well as the following roles:
Rosina in BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, Hänsel in a new production if HÄNSEL AND GRETEL, Zweite Dame in DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, Orindo in ADMETO,
Bianca in LA RONDINE, Dritte Magd in ELEKTRA and Siegrüne in a concert version of DIE WALKÜRE.
Jean has been a "fest" mezzo at the Oper Leipzig since the fall of 2008. Roles performed during previous
seasons in Leipzig include: Donna Elvira in DON GIOVANNI, Mercédès in CARMEN, Orlofsky in DIE FLEDERMAUS and Clarice/Linetta in
THE LOVE FOR THREE ORANGES.
The 2007-2008 season marked the beginning of Miss Broekhuizen’s tenure as a house mezzo at the Theater
Augsburg in Augsburg, Germany. During the 2007-2008 season she reprised the role of Dorabella, and sang two exciting role debuts: the
title role in Gluck’s ORFEO and Rosina in IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA.
During the 2006-2007 season, Jean returned to the Little Orchestra Society of New York to sing the role of
Mother in AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS. She then made her role and house debut as Dorabella in COSÌ FAN TUTTE at the Theater Augsburg, Germany
in May 2007.
The 2005-2006 season marked two "firsts" for the young mezzo. She made her Avery Fisher Hall debut, as
Mother in AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS with the The Little Orchestra Society of New York, and her first engagement with Sarasota Opera,
where she participated in the Fall Outreach Concerts as a featured soloist. Miss Broekhuizen also made her third appearance at Central City Opera,
where she was an apprentice during the summer of 2006. She sang the roles of Pallade in L’INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA and Silver Dollar in THE BALLAD OF BABY DOE,
as well as gave a salon recital to great acclaim. At the end of the summer, she was awarded the Young Artist Award in recognition of her exemplary
work with the company. Miss Broekhuizen was a Studio Artist at Central City in 2002 and 2003. During the 2003 season, she sang the roles of 2nd Wife and
3rd Quilter in Central City’s World Premiere of the opera GABRIEL’S DAUGHTER.
Other Young Artist engagements include two seasons as a Young Artist at the Chicago Opera Theater,
where Miss Broekhuizen sang the roles of Modestina in IL VIAGGIO A REIMS and German Mother in DEATH IN VENICE, as well as covered Nerone
in L’INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA and Oberon in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. The summer of 2004 found Miss Broekhuizen at Chautauqua Opera as a Studio Artist,
where she covered the roles of Siebel in FAUST and Hodel in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. During the 2002-2003 season, she was a Resident Artist at the Skylight Opera
Theatre in Milwaukee, where she covered and performed the role of Suzuki in MADAMA BUTTERFLY. She also performed in a lighter genre at Skylight Opera Theatre,
where she participated in a cabaret of songs, including Gershwin, Porter, and Kern.
Miss Broekhuizen received her Masters Degree in Voice from the University of Michigan, which she attended on a full
tuition merit scholarship, where she performed the role of Secretary in THE CONSUL. While at Michigan, Miss Broekhuizen worked with legendary accompanist
Martin Katz, as well as world-renowned soprano Shirley Verrett. She received her Bachelors Degree in Voice from the University of Arizona as a student of
Robert Swensen, where she performed the roles of Cherubino in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, Prince Charmant in CENDRILLON and Tessa in THE GONDOLIERS.
