Jan Mesdag (Rotterdam, Netherlands, December 9, 1953 â€" December 4,
1988) was a Dutch singer and cabaret artist.Mesdag, who was born Jan
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.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. For 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. Jan 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 U.S. on a student visa and was
working, Mesdag returned to Amsterdam.
1988) was a Dutch singer and cabaret artist.Mesdag, who was born Jan
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.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. For 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. Jan 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 U.S. on a student visa and was
working, Mesdag returned to Amsterdam.
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