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THE countertenor's art
JAKUB JÓZEF ORLIŃSKI
SINGAPORE DEBUT RECITAL
SUNDAY 12 APRIL 2026
5:00PM
VICTORIA CONCERT HALL
From Baroque arias to global stardom: countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński — opera virtuoso, breakdancer, and a model on the covers of Vogue, Elle and Esquire — makes his Singapore debut in a recital of rare charisma and artistry by one of today’s most compelling vocal artists. Joined by Polish pianist Michał Biel, Orliński curates a programme that moves effortlessly between Baroque brilliance and the intimate world of Polish art song.
At the heart of the evening are arias by George Frideric Handel and Henry Purcell — music of sensuous beauty, theatrical intensity, and emotional immediacy. From the intoxicating lyricism of “Voi che udite” and “Un zeffiro spiro” to the dramatic tempest of “Furibondo spira il vento”, Orliński brings his signature blend of vocal refinement, textual insight, and arresting stage presence to some of the Baroque era’s most irresistible pages.
In striking contrast, the programme also shines a light on Polish song, from the elegant poetry of Tadeusz Baird to the deeply introspective late-Romantic songs of Mieczysław Karłowicz. These miniatures — by turns tender, melancholic, and ardently expressive — allow Orliński to sing in his native language, offering audiences a more personal, inward portrait of the artist.
Acclaimed worldwide for redefining the countertenor as both vocal virtuoso and magnetic communicator, Orliński is equally at home in operatic fire and hushed intimacy. This Singapore debut recital promises an evening of rare beauty: a journey through love, longing, and passion, guided by one of the most distinctive voices of our time.
An unmissable debut from a global star — at once thrilling, poetic, and profoundly human.
PROGRAMME
Arias and songs by Handel, Purcell, and Polish composers Mieczyslaw Karlowicz (1876 –1909) and Tadeusz Baird (1928 – 1981)
(Programme subject to change at the artists' discretion)
THE ARTISTS
JAKUB JÓZEF ORLIŃSKI, countertenor
One of the most beloved and celebrated opera stars of this decade, Jakub Józef Orliński has established himself as one of the world’s leading artists, triumphing on stage, in concert, and in recording. His sold-out concerts and recitals throughout Europe, America and Asia have attracted new followers to the art form. His album #LetsBaRock was released in September 2024, following the success of Beyond, which was released in October 2023; both albums will continue to tour the world through the 2025/26 season. Orliński has been the recipient of many prestigious awards such as the Opus Klassik award for Male Singer of the Year (2023), the Gloria Artis Gold Medal for Merit to Culture in Poland (2024), the BBC Music Magazine Award for his performance in Beyond, Great Britain (2024), the International Classical Music Award for his album Anima Aeterna, France (2022), as well as two Grammy nominations for recordings of Agrippina and Eurydice.
Jakub has a global fanbase with hundreds of thousands of social media followers and has worked as a model and influencer with international brands including Rolex, Netflix, Orange, Louis Vuitton, Levi’s, Nike, BMW, Lacoste, and MAC Cosmetics. He is also an accomplished breakdancer – prizes include fourth place at the Red Bull BC One Poland Cypher competition, and second place at both the Stylish Strike – Top Rock Contest and The Style Control competition. Few other opera singers can claim to have conquered the stages of the world’s greatest concert halls and the covers of Polish Vogue, Esquire, and Elle, but this is a testament to Jakub’s unique pop star appeal. His “ravishing” (The Guardian) live performances have sold out concert halls and opera houses all over the world.
For the 2025/26 season, Orliński is set to continue his dynamic presence on the global stage with a series of exciting concerts, recitals, and tours. The start of the season will see him embark on a #LetsBaRock tour across Europe, his innovative live project with Aleksander Dębicz. Further highlights include two highly anticipated Wigmore Hall recitals in London, a return to the Wiener Konzerthaus with Il Pomo d’Oro for their Beyond programme, as well as performances of Handel's Messiah alongside Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Philadelphia Orchestra. The beginning of 2026 will bring him back onto the opera stage as Athamas in Handel's Semele at the Dutch National Opera before he embarks on a tour performing Handel’s Giulio Cesare across Europe with Il Pomo d’Oro. He also performs various recitals across Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Shanghai, followed by a broader European recital tour in May-June 2026.
MICHAŁ BIEL, piano
Pianist and tutor Michał Biel graduated from the Juilliard School in New York, studying under the likes of Brian Zeger, Margo Garrett, Jonathan Feldman and J.J. Penna. He also studied with Eytan Pesen at the Opera Academy at the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera in Warsaw, and Andrzej Jasiński and Grzegorz Biegas at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice.
Michał has performed in some the world’s most famous concert halls such as Wigmore Hall in London, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Berlin Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall in New York, as well as recitals on the stages of the most prestigious opera theatres including Oper Frankfurt, Théâtre des Champs Elysées, Opéra National du Rhin, Opéra National de Bordeaux, Opera de Lille, El Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia and the Grand Theatre - National Opera in Warsaw.
He regularly collaborates with countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński, with whom he gives concerts all over the world, as well as taking part in prestigious festivals including Verbier Festival, Life Victoria Barcelona and Festival de Lacoste Pierre Cardin. Michał's performances have been repeatedly broadcast by Medici.tv, Arte.tv, BBC Radio 3, TVP Kultura and Program 2 on Polish Radio.
As an accompanist to American bass Alexander Rosen, Michał won 2nd prize at the International Hugo Wolf Song Competition in Stuttgart in 2018. Both artists are also laureates of the Orsay-Royaumont Academy, which culminated in the release of the album "Le Promenoir Des Amants".
Michał's competition achievements include an award for outstanding young pianist at the Stanisław Moniuszko International Vocal Competition in Warsaw, the title of best young accompanist at Le Grand Prix de l'Opéra in Bucharest and an award for outstanding accompaniment at the Ludomir Różycki National Vocal Competition in Gliwice.
As a pianist-tutor, he has collaborated with vocalists at the Department of Vocal Arts at New York's Juilliard School, the Internationale Meistersinger Akademie in Neumarkt, and the Chautauqua School of Music in Chautauqua. He was also associated with the Department of Piano Chamber Music at the Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz. Since 2020, Michał has been a lecturer at the Opera Academy operating at the Teatr Wielki - Polish National Opera in Warsaw, where he regularly conducts classes for vocalists and pianists.
Michał has had success with his accompaniment on two albums that have been released. Farewells, recorded with Jakub Józef Orliński in Dolby Atmos technology, was nominated for the "Fryderyki" award in the Best Polish Album Abroad category. He also recorded the album Kraina with soprano Alexandra Nowakowski, which included songs of Polish composers.
