Jan-Hendrik Rootering is one of the world’s leading classicalbass singers. Born in Germany, JanHendrik received his firstmusic and singing lessons from his father Hendrikus, a famous tenor.
JanHendrik went to study at the Hamburg Conservatory and gave his official debut, with the Gelsen- kirchen Opera in 1980 as Colline in Puccini’s La Bohème.
This appearance led to his engagement at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein and first recordings.
Invited by Wolfgang Sawallisch he went on to the Bavarian State Opera in Munich in 1981. Rootering remained on their roster until 2009, giving guest appearances in importanttheatres such asCovent Garden, Amsterdam, Geneva, Hamburg, La Scala die Milano, Berlin, Vienna and theMetropolitan Opera New York.
He has been invited back to the Met numerous times and has sung in operas from The Magic Flute (as Sarastro) and Don Giovanni (as Basilio), to Verdi’s Don Carlos in the part of King Philip, and as Gurnemanz in Wagner’s Parsifal. Among his other notable roles are Prince Gremin in
Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, Baron Ochs in Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier as well as most of Wagner’s
leading bass parts. In 1995, he made an important debut as Hans Sachs in Die Meistersinger in Munich. A role he sang very often. In the opinion of many he is the leading Sachs of his time.
Rootering also is renowned for his concert career.
A highlightwas his participation in the historic performance conducted by Leonard Bernstein of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony commemorating the fall of the Berlin Wall. Rootering has been named to the ceremonial position of Kammersänger (Chamber Singer) of Bavaria, has been awarded with important prices including a Grammy – Award and is a renowned Voice-Teacher.