Polish countertenor Jan Jakub Monowid is known for his unique voice, and many roles that he has in the repertoire were composed particularly for him.
His role as Dantes Innere Stimme in the world premiere of Inferno by Lucia Ronchetti at Oper Frankfurt was a spectacular success. Called by reviewers a
highly interesting, powerful counter...;
the fascinating countertenor…;
Next season he is scheduled as Tolomeo and will be partnered by Jakub Józef Orlinski in a new production of Julius Cesar at the Wroclaw Opera House.
In the present season, he performs in the world premiere of Lucia Ronchetti’s
Chronicles of Loneliness at Cologne Philharmonic, as Ottone in
L'inoronazione di Poppea at Polish Royal Opera, Cherubino in
Le Nozze di Figaro at Warsaw Chamber Opera, Prince Orlofsky in
Die Fledermaus in Biala Podlaska Festival. Jan Jakub Monowid also stars as Artur in
Tango, the new production by M. Dobrzyński at the Kraków Opera House and Warsaw Chamber Opera, and in the Easter production for Podlaska Opera and Orchestra that will include
Via Crucis by P. Łukaszewski. At the concert stage, he will sing in Weihnachtsoratorium at Łódź Philharmonic.
Some of Jan Jakub Monowid’s recent engagements include Pompeo in
Farnace at Dramma per Musica Festival in Warsaw, Un giovane/voce lontana Superflumina in Antonín Dvořák Theatre in Ostrava. He performed the main part in the world premiere of Keiko Fujiie’s
Vermilion Calm, composed especially for his voice, Ramiro in
La finta giardiniera, Goffredo in Rinaldo and Ottone in
L’incoronazione di Poppea at the Polish Royal Opera.
Jan Jakub Monowid took part in numerous recordings, such as an incredible collection of Polish baroque with works by Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki and Stanisław Sylwester Szarzyński published by Pro Musica Camerata Foundation, Sonnets for countertenor and symphonic orchestra by M. A. Dalbavie, A
nd Farewell Goes Out Sighing by G. Kancheli,
Lamentacja and
Brewiarz for male soprano and string by Z. Penherski,
Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo by B. Britten and Shakespeare’s Sonnets by P. Mykietyn.
Jan Jakub Monowid graduated from the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw under the tutelage of Professor Jerzy Artysz. He received the Jan Kiepura Theatrical Music Award as The Best Singer and the Second Prize at the Gianni Bergamo Classic Music Award in Countertenor Competition.