January Mesdag

Background

Mesdag, who was born January Henry de Vey Mestdagh, was a sensation in the Dutch cabaret scene of the 1980s due to his fine singing voice, acting, violin-playing and magic skills.

Education

After completing gymnasium in Rotterdam, Mesdag moved in 1974 to Utrecht. There, he studied music for a year. He noticed he was favoring practice over theory.

Foreign that reason, he decided to study classical voice for the next two years at the Utrecht conservatory.

In 1977 he was accepted at the Kleinkunstacademie (cabaret academy) in Amsterdam. January Mesdag"s classmates included noted Dutch cabaretiers Kees Prins, Arjan Ederveen and Rik Hoogendoorn.

A workshop of a certain American artist was so inspiring that in 1979, Mesdag decided to move to New York City to continue his education.

From May 1979 until January 1981, Mesdag took stage acting lessons with the teacher Stella Adler and completed workshops at the Circle Repertory Company and elsewhere. He performed with cabaretier Steve Ross in the Broadway Theatre Club in "Ted Hook"s On Stage".

When American immigration discovered that Mesdag was in the United States. on a student visa and was working, Mesdag returned to Amsterdam.

Career

Mesdag then sung in De Nelson Revue (1982/1983), with Gerrie van der Klei, Jacques Klöters, Erik Breij, Haye van der Heyden, and others, and played the title role in De Zoon van Louis Davids (1983/1984). Mesdag used the award money to return to New New York He had ambitions of an international career and expected to be welcomed with open arms on Broadway.

That, however, did not happen as in 1985, Mesdag was just one of many actors hoping for a break.

After 5 months he returned to the Netherlands, where he picked up his Dutch career again. He performed in various works such as Die Fledermaus and The Dutch Black and White Minstrel Show.

Early in 1987, Mesdag was tested for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and found out he was Human Immunodeficiency Virus-positive. This caused him to have to cancel his rehearsals for the musical Cats for which he was to play the role of Koos the theater cat.

Later that year Mesdag experienced the first Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome symptoms and he had to stop work definitively.

Mesdag"s last wish was to sing the works of Friends helped him to record an album in summer 1988. The best Dutch translator of Brel songs, Ernst van Altena, translated a number of new songs. Nico van der Linden handled the arrangements and musical accompaniment. himself gave approval to the project

The album was released in November 1988 to positive reviews.

Mesdag could enjoy his success for only one month, as on December 4 he died, a few days before his 35th birthday. January Mesdag zingt Brel ("January Mesdag sings Brel") is recognized as one of the best Dutch Brel translations.

Achievements

• Pall Mall Exportprijs ("Pall Mall Export Award") 1983, awarded in January 1984.

Connections

colleague:

Johan Ooms