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The German baritone, André Morsch, began his studies in Austria at the Conservatory in Feldkirch, with Ralf Ernst. After graduating with distinction in 2000, he continued studying with Margreet Honig at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, where he received a scholarship supporting excellent young musicians for 2002. André Morsch has also completed this study with distinction in 2003.
With the Nieuwe Opera Academie of The Netherlands (Artistic Director: Alexander Oliver), André Morsch has interpreted the roles of Leporello in W.A. Mozart’s Don Giovanni conducted by Kenneth Montgomery, the Clock in Revel’s L’Enfant et les Sortilèges conducted by Jose Esandi, and Figaro in W.A. Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro under the musical direction of Jed Wentz. He graduated from the Nieuwe Opera Academie program in The Hague with distinction in May 2002. Other early engagements include the role of Achillas Giulio Cesare with Oper Stuttgart, Simanov in Jan van de Putte’s Wet Snow with the Nationale Reis Opera during the Holland Festival as well as several roles in Leonard Bernstein’s Candide with Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and Felix Mendelssohn’s Elias with the Israel Chamber Orchestra in Jerusalem.
In 2005 André Morsch was part of Le Jardin des Voix, led by William Christie and Les Arts Florissants. In 2007 he was the winner - together with the pianist Eildert Beeftinkof the prestigious “Internationaler Wettbewerb für Liedkunst” in Stuttgart after previously winning the Prix Bernac at the Ravel Academie in St. Jean de Luz. André Morsch regularly works together with the pianists Eildert Beeftink and Julius Drake. In the beginning of 2008 he made his debut with the Opéra Comique in Paris, starring as Cadmus in Lully's Cadmus et Hermione. The DVD of this production was awarded numerous prizes including the Diapason d’Or. Moreover, it was named DVD of the Year by the German Schallplatten Kritik.
André Morsch has appeared at opera houses such as Leipzig, Lyon, Nancy, Paris, Stuttgart, Zürich, and the Nederlandse Opera. Recent highlights include a.o. Guglielmo in a semi-staged production of Cosi fan tutte with the Orchestra of the 18th Century, Leporello in Don Giovanni, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Harlekin in Ariadne auf Naxos, Schaunard in La Bohème, Dandini in La Cenerentola, Verva in Janáček’s Osud as well as Cithéron in Platée, all at Oper Stuttgart. Other guest appearances include Der Graf in Schreker’s Der Schatzgräber at De Nederlandse Opera, Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro at the Opéra national de Lorraine in Nancy and at Oper Stuttgart. He sung Harlekin in Ariadne auf Naxos at Oper Leipzig, Adario in Rameau´s Les Indes Galantes at Opernhaus Zürich, Achilla in Giulio Cesare at Oper Stuttgart, Michelotto Cibo in Schreker’s Die Gezeichneten, Jake Wallace in La Fanciulla del West, The Novice's Friend in Billy Budd and the 2nd Nazarene in Salome, all at the Dutch National Opera, 1st whale hunter in the world premiere of J.P. Wageman's Legende, Sid in Puccini's La Fanciulla del West and Stephano in Martin's Der Sturm, all at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam.
Other past engagements include De Brétigny in Massenet’s Manon, Ping in Puccini’s Turandot, Simanov in the world premiere of Jan van de Putte’s Wet Snow and Dandini in Rossini's La Cenerentola, all with the Nationale Reisopera of The Netherlands, Moralès in Georges Bizet’s Carmen at the Opéra de Lausanne, Boris in Dmitri Shostakovich’s Moskva - Cheremushki at the Opéra de Lyon and Fritz in Korngold's Die tote Stadt at the Opéra national de Lorraine in Nancy.
In the 2011-2012 season André Morsch performed roles such as Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte and Leporello in Don Giovanni at the Staatsoper Stuttgart. In the season 2014-2015 season André will make his role-debut as Figaro in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia at Oper Stuttgart, he will sing Pompeo in Berlioz’ Benvenuto Cellini at the Dutch National Opera and on the concert platform is scheduled to sing Christus in the J.S. Bach’s Matthäus-Passion (BWV 244), with the Hague Philharmonic Orchestra and Die Schöpfung with the Orchestra of the 18th Century. Further ahead a recital is scheduled together with Sarah Connolly and Julius Drake at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, the role of Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro in a tour through Holland with the Orchestra of the 18th Century and Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte at Oper Stuttgart.
André Morsch’ concertrepertoire includes o.a. F. Mendelssohn's Elias, Haydn's The Creation, F. Martin's Golgotha, J.S. Bach’s Matthäus-Passion (BWV 244), Johannes-Passion BWV 245 and Weihnachts-Oratorium (BWV 248), L.v. Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, W.A. Mozart’s Requiem and George Frideric Handel’s Alexander’s Feast, Belshazzar and Messiah.
André Morsch has performed regularly with orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Tonhalle Orchester Zürich, Beethoven Orchester Bonn, Hague Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra of the 18th Century, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Galicia, Bochumer Symphoniker, Les Talens Lyriques, Le Poème Harmonique, Les Arts Florissants, Stavanger Symfoniorkester, Dutch Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and Flemish Radio Orchestras. He has had the pleasure to work with conductors such as Marc Albrecht, Ivor Bolton, Frans Brüggen, Sylvain Cambreling, William Christie, Vincent Dumestre, Antony Hermus, Daniel Klajner, Reinbert de Leeuw, Ingo Metzmacher, Hervé Niquet, Paolo Olmi, Daniel Reuss, Carlo Rizzi, Christophe Rousset, Stefan Soltesz, Edo de Waart and Jaap van Zweden. Stage-directors he already has worked with include Peter Konwitschny , Benjamin Lazar, Richard Jones, Nikolaus Lehnhoff, Philipp Himmelmann, Calixto Bieito, Nigel Lowery, Jossi Wieler and Sergio Morabito.
André Morsch is a sought after recitalist. Most recent appearances include a series of recitals at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Tonhalle in Zürich and the Delft Chamber Music Festival, where he enjoyed wide critical acclaim, together with the pianists Julius Drake and Eildert Beeftink. In 2011 a CD with songs by Hermann Reutter was released. |
