CAROLINE KAART

Caroline Kaart

Kaart is a versatile singer, at home with classical music and musicals. For example, she performed at the Royal Albert Hall in the anniversary concert for Queen Elizabeth II, but also in the Dutch musicals 'Amerika Amerika and 'Blijvend Applaus'. She enjoys appearing with choirs, both the popular “seamen's” male ...
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Biography Caroline Kaart

Kaart is a versatile singer, at home with classical music and musicals. For example, she performed at the Royal Albert Hall in the anniversary concert for Queen Elizabeth II, but also in the Dutch musicals 'Amerika Amerika and 'Blijvend Applaus'. She enjoys appearing with choirs, both the popular “seamen's” male choirs and church choirs. She began her career as an operatic and concert singer but became well known later as a TV and radio personality, something she believes hurt her image: “I had studied singing for 15 years, but everyone thought I could only sing Old Dutch and Scottish songs. Once a critic even wrote: 'How dare they let such a folk-song lady perform in the St. Matthew Passion?' ” (Trouw, 1992)

1931

Caroline Paterson Raitt (Caroline Kaart) is born on December 21 in Blackness, Scotland.

1956

On August 24 she makes her debut as Santuzza in Pietro Mascagni's opera Cavalleria Rusticana with De Nederlandse Opera. Hans Kaart, her future husband, sings that evening in Ruggiero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci. In April they record arias and duets by Giuseppe Verdi together for the HMV record label in Paris.

1957

She marries Hans Kaart. The couple move to Switzerland and perform together, for example with the Vienna State Opera and De Nederlandse Opera.

1963

Hans Kaart dies in June of complications from ear surgery. During their marriage, Kaart had devoted herself principally to furthering her husband's career: “He was trying to break through as an opera singer, and he needed my support for that.” (Trouw, 1992) After this, she concentrates on her own career. For the NCRV, she makes the TV series 'Een Liedje met Caroline', which brings her national celebrity. She also appears on various TV game shows (such as the popular 'Zo vader, zo zoon'), is the host of various music programmes, and performs in the musicals 'Er valt een ster' and 'Vadertje Langbeen'.

1969 - 1977

In 1969 she marries Willy van Hemert, director of the TV show 'Een Liedje met Caroline'. They divorce in 1977.

1979 - 2002

Kaart is the host of the long-lasting and hugely popular AVRO radio programme 'Klassiek met Caroline'. In 1985 she switches to the Veronica broadcasting company and hosts its 'Muziek voor miljoenen' programme, but she returns to AVRO in 1986. The formula of 'Klassiek met Caroline' is effective: While Kaart announces the pieces, the pianist Joop Stokkermans links the themes together with sultry improvisations. On June 21, 2002, AVRO cancels the programme, much to Kaart's and many listeners' regret.

1982

Kaart is made a knight of the Order of Oranje-Nassau.

2002

Since the end of her radio programme, Kaart devotes herself to teaching. She lives in Blaricum, where she has established the Caroline Kaart Foundation to support young singers.

Photos Caroline Kaart

Audio/Video Caroline Kaart