Door Van Bergen - 2025 Finalist

At just fifteen, Door was undoubtedly one of the youngest tenors ever to step onstage as a professional soloist among established names, performing the Benedictus from Schubert’s Mass No. 2 in G. With his fresh, flexible and remarkably solid timbre, he made a deep and lasting impression. Even then, his ambition was clear: singing would become his life.

Now eighteen, Door has been surrounded by music since childhood. He began viola lessons at the age of three, sharpening his musical ear from the very start. In his early teenage years, his bright, ringing treble voice brought sparkle to his choir’s sound. That talent led him to tenor and vocal coach Teun Michiels, who has guided him since the age of twelve. This academic year, Door began specialising in opera in the class of Natacha Kowalski at the Conservatoire Royal de Liège.

As his tenor voice developed, Door grew into a sound that is both velvety and powerful. He gained stage experience quickly and widely, collaborating with pianists Peter Jeurissen, Bert Koch and Jef Kolacny, as well as Tínel Ensemble, Brussels Choral Society, Kapel van de Miniemen and Octopus Kamerkoor. A masterclass with renowned pedagogue Janice Chapman (London, UK) provided an important artistic boost.

Door’s repertoire spans art song, chamber music, oratorio and opera. In the summer of 2024, he appeared as Aeneas in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas (CloseOpera) and as Ferrando in Crazi for tutti, a creative re-imagining of Mozart’s Così fan tutte by Loïs Heirman. At the end of that same year, he performed Poulenc’s Banalités in recital with pianist Jef Kolacny, and recorded Vaughan Williams’ On Wenlock Edge with Tínel Ensemble at MotorMusic Studios (Mechelen).

In March 2025, Door and pianist Emile Kerkhofs were awarded the Development Prize at the Prinses Christina Concours, Region South (NL). That summer he toured Flanders with a piano quintet. On 2 November 2025, he became laureate of the Concours Opéra Jeunes Espoirs Raymond Duffaut (Opéra Grand Avignon, France), winning the Grand Prix in the Jeune Espoir category (16–18 years). Only weeks later, he was named the winner of Young Belgian Talent 2025. The final, held in Studio 4 at Flagey (Brussels) on 15 November, became a milestone in his young musical journey — a moment where he shared his passion for song with a warm, enthusiastic audience.

The human voice is a precious instrument — one of a kind. Even the greatest tenors made their operatic debuts only in their mid-twenties. For that reason, in addition to his vocal studies with Teun Michiels, Door is supported by Liesbeth Vander Velde, a speech therapist and vocal specialist who coaches singers, ensuring that his unique sound can continue to grow safely and sustainably.

Whatever Door sings, he approaches it with unwavering dedication — always guided by the dream he set for himself as a child.

Door is recognised under the Flemish Government’s Top Arts Statute.

Last updated: November 2025