Biography

Jouke Wijmenga is a Dutch baritone with a broad solo repertoire in oratorio, opera, and contemporary music. He is regularly heard in works by Johann Sebastian Bach, including the St. Matthew Passion, St. John Passion, various cantatas, and masses. He has also sung solo parts in Mozart masses and Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle, among others. In December 2024, he performed the baritone solo in a new work by David Lang, performed at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

On the opera stage, Jouke has performed roles in both baroque and classical repertoire. He has sung Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), Leporello (Don Giovanni), and Achilla (Giulio Cesare), among others. During the 2022 Grachtenfestival, he sang live on NPO Radio 4 a scene from Alban Berg's Wozzeck, in which he took on the title role. In the summer of 2025, he will be seen as Aeneas in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas.

Jouke studied voice at Codarts Rotterdam with Henk Neven and graduated in 2020. He attended masterclasses and coaching sessions with Marcel Reijans, Johannette Zomer, and Carolyn Watkinson, among others. Since then, he has continued his development under the guidance of Margreet Honig.

In addition to his solo career, Jouke has a strong passion for ensemble singing. Since 2025, he has been a core member of the Netherlands Chamber Choir, with which he performs intensively both domestically and internationally. He also works regularly with other leading ensembles such as Cappella Amsterdam, the Laurens Collegium Rotterdam, and Collegium Vocale Gent.