Biography

The soprano, Bernadeta Astari (Jakarta, 1988), is a vocal artiste with a stage presence that is both powerful and assured. By combining her acting ability and her splendid, expressive voice, Bernadeta turns operas, major musical productions and small-scale recitals into a special experience for any audience. She truly enjoys taking part in productions that fulfil a purpose, that tell a story. Her versatility and her deep interest in music, language and theatre date back to her earliest upbringing in Indonesia and are what makes Bernadeta an extraordinary singer and performer.

Even while still completing her training, she was already winning prestigious prizes, such as The Dutch Classical Talent, the Prinses Christina Competition and the IVC ’s-Hertogenbosch. She then went on to obtain her Master's degree in Classical Voice with distinction at the Utrechts Conservatorium in 2012, after which she immediately became a member of Opera Studio Nederland and launched her career as a soloist with the Nederlandse Reisopera (Dutch Touring Opera) and de Veenfabriek. It wasn't long before she was singing, dancing and acting in special productions such as: ‘LIGHT’, a dance opera by LeineRoebana; ‘Voyager One’ and ‘Encyclopedie voor de moderne huisvrouw’, musical theatre productions by Touki Delphine and Theater Rotterdam;  a contemporary opera entitled ‘Kill the West in Me’ with the DoelenKwartet and the Gamelan Ensemble Gending and the opera ‘Suor Angelica’ staged by Nico & the Navigators Berlin, in collaboration with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Aside from these, Bernadeta also works closely with well-known composers such as Boudewijn Tarenskeen, Sinta Wullur and Tony Prabowo.

In addition to her work as a singer and performer, she is increasingly developing into a creator, as in ‘Herfst’ by LIBI/Djojokarso and ‘De Eindtijd Revue’ by URLAND. She also enjoys collaborating with artists from a variety of disciplines, using improvisation as a way of exploring the boundaries of what’s possible. This has only increased Bernadeta's ambition to create productions of her own. The ideas she has in that area stem from her personal background, her experiences and her life story. Together with her trio, the Bernadeta Astari Trio (with the pianist Kanako Inoue & the accordionist Pieternel Berkers), she has already put on a family production entitled ‘Mozzie in het bos’, which has been performed at a variety of festivals and schools. Touching the hearts of her audience and transporting them away into the interesting world of music and theatre are what Bernadeta aims to achieve and she’s successfully achieving that in many different places, including at festivals such as: Het Holland Festival, November Music, O. Festival, Oerol and Down the Rabbit Hole.