“This performance had an unforgettable Platée in the Dutch tenor Marcel Beekman” wrote The New York Times after his international break-through with the title role in Rameau’s opera. Described by Süddeutsche Zeitung as “the master singer who achieves miracles” and praised by Wiener Zeitung for a performance that “was snazzy…even defied gravity”, Amsterdam based Marcel Beekman is renowned for his interpretation of operatic character roles as well as early and contemporary music performances.
Marcel Beekman has performed the great German, French and Italian baroque repertoire all over Europe, the United States, Middle East, South Africa and Japan in major concert venues and festivals with specialized conductors such as William Christie, Leonardo García Alarcón, the late Frans Brüggen, Christophe Rousset, Richard Egarr, Reinhard Goebel, Aapo Häkkinen and António Carrilho. He has performed later repertoire as well with Karina Canellakis, Sir Simon Rattle, Daniele Gatti, Lawrence Renes, Sir Mark Elder, Iván Fischer, Jérémie Rhorer, Claus Peter Flor, Ariane Matiakh, Steven Sloane and Ed Spanjaard, with orchestras including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Wiener Philharmoniker, Berliner Philharmoniker, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra of the 18th Century, Les Arts Florissants, Cappella Mediterranea, Helsinki Baroque Orchestra, Collegium 1740, ASKO|Schönberg, Amstel Quartet, Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, Stavanger Symfoniorkester, Israel Camerata and Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi.
Mr. Beekman is also known for his outstanding ability in more avant-garde repertoire. He has worked extensively with conductors such as the late Reinbert de Leeuw, Sylvain Cambreling, John Adams, Marc Albrecht, Avner Biron and Jonathan Stockhammer in works by Igor Stravinsky, Alban Berg, Benjamin Britten, Nicolas Obouchov, Pascal Dusapin, Edison Denisov, Mauricio Kagel, Witold Lutoslawski, Joseph Bardanashvili, Gottfried von Einem and György Kurtág. Marcel has given many world premières that have been specially composed for his voice: Calliope Tsoupaki [St. Luke’s Passion, Greek Love Songs, Oidípous, Liknón and Exodión], Martijn Padding, Roderik de Man, Micha Hamel, Elmer Schönberger, Jacques Bank, António Chagas Rosa and Jeff Hamburg have written specifically for him, as have the younger generation of Dutch composers such as Reza Namavar, Joost Kleppe, Anke Brouwer, Bart Visman and Matthias Kadar. At the 2021 Bochum Ruhrtriennale he sang the roles of Robert, der Schäfer and Schafbock in Bählamms Fest by Olga Neuwirth conducted by Sylvain Cambreling and directed by Bush Moukarzel & Ben Kidd.
Operatic repertoire includes Berenice L’Ipermestra Cavalli [released on CD in 2019], Nodrice La Finta Pazza Sacrati, the title role in Rameau’s Platée, the title role in Pygmalion and Valère, Damon, Don Carlos Les Indes Galantes Rameau, Maître de Musique and Maître de Chant Les Fêtes Vénitiennes Campra, Nurse Granida P.C. Hooft, Arnalta and Nutrice L’Incoronazione di Poppea [the 2018 Salzburg production is available on CD and DVD at Harmonia Mundi], Eumete Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria and the title role in Orfeo Monteverdi, Lope Don Chisciotte in Sierra Morena Conti, Germanico Arminio Biber, Pedrillo Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Basilio and Don Curzio Le Nozze di Figaro Mozart, Skrjagin Skupoy
Marcel Beekman has worked at Dutch National Opera, Theater an der Wien, Opéra Comique de Paris, Gran Teatre del Liceu Barcelona [“Beekman made his high tenor shine at the Liceu in a splendid performance” according to Scherzo in 2021], Théâtre du Capitole Toulouse, Staatstheater Stuttgart, Salzburger Festspiele, Bregenzer Festspiele, Opéra de Dijon, Opéra Royal de Versailles, Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg, Holland Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall New York with directors Robert Carsen, Barrie Kosky, Pierre Audi, Ivo van Hove, Claus Guth, Jean-Yves Ruf, Stefan Herheim, Stéphane Braunschweig, Tatjana Gürbaca [the press referred to Beekman’s Mime in her Vienna Ring-Trilogie of 2017 as “ausgezeichnet“, “mit schnarrendem Tenor ein genial winselnder Mime“, “ungemein wortdeutlich“, “ein köstlich-keifender Mime“ and “il flessuosissimo tenore olandese Marcel Beekman risplende in una parte più che controversa, indossando la kippah“], Hal Hartley, Nicola Raab, Jan Lauwers, Marcel Sijm and Krzysztof Warlikowski. The latter staged DNO’s 2017 production of Wozzeck in which Beekman’s interpretation of Der Hauptmann was described internationally as excellent and outstanding; sadistic and maniacal as well as “eccezionale” and “absolument unique”. The TV-registration of this production was released on DVD.