Ria Bollen

On the occasion of her 75th birthday, Ria Bollen was solemnly received on 10 April 2017 in the Antwerp City Hall and honoured by Mayor Bart De Wever. The laudation was pronounced by Luc Leytens.

In 1988, Bollen was a member of the jury of the first Queen Elisabeth Competition for singing.

Born in Sint-Truiden, Bollen a school of classical humanities, and then studied psychology. After two years, she studied voice at the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp with Lucie Frateur, who accompanied her throughout her career. She graduated in 1968 with the major distinction. She also studied with Pierre Bernac, Felix de Nobel, Erik Werba and Christa Ludwig.

She made her debut as a soloist in 1965, in Godelieve by Edgar Tinel conducted by Léonce Gras. Also before she graduated, she obtained the first prize of the Maria Canalswedstrijd in Barcelona, in 1967. She was laureate of four more prestigious competitions: the International Vocal Competition 's-Hertogenbosch (1968), the ARD International Music Competition (1969), the Geneva International Music Competition, in which she won first prize (1970), and the "Internationaler Wettbewerb für Gesang" of the "Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Wien", better known as the Wiener Musikverein (1972).

Ria Bollen (born 11 February 1942) is a Flemish contralto, who had an international career as a concert singer between 1965 and 1992. Her broad repertoire included Bach's Passions, Mozart's Requiem, Beethoven's Missa solemnis, especially works by Gustav Mahler and works of the 20th century. She was the soloist in the world premiere of Frank Martin's Requiem. She sang many art songs, including by Belgian composers.