The journey of baritone Andrè Schuen into singing began in the picturesque village of La Val in South Tyrol, Italy. Growing up trilingual in Ladin, Italian, and German, this versatility continues to be reflected in his diverse repertoire. Originally a passionate cellist, Andrè Schuen later chose to pursue vocal studies at the renowned Mozarteum Salzburg under the guidance of Prof. Horiana Brănișteanu and Prof. Wolfgang Holzmair. After his studies, he spent his initial years as an ensemble member at the Graz Opera. Today, he is at home on the world’s major opera, concert, and lieder stages.
In the realm of opera, Andrè Schuen is sought after by leading houses such as the Bavarian and Vienna State Operas, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, and the Teatro Real Madrid, as well as prestigious festivals like Aix-en-Provence, Lucerne, and Salzburg. In the current season, he takes on the title role in the opera “Schwanda, the Bagpiper” by Czech composer Jaromír Weinberger at the Theater an der Wien, directed by Tobias Kratzer. At the Bavarian State Opera, following his Wolfram debut at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden last season, he portrays Wolfram in Castellucci’s production of “Tannhäuser” as part of the Opera Festival (Conductor: Sebastian Weigle). At the Royal Opera House in London, he assumes the roles of Sharpless in Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly” (Directors: Moshe Leiser & Patrice Caurier – Conductor: John Kevin Edusei) and Guglielmo in Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” in the staging by Jan Philipp Gloger (Conductor: Alexander Soddy).
However, Andrè Schuen’s domain is not limited to opera stages; he is equally at home on the concert platform. His debut at New York’s Carnegie Hall in May 2024 with Brahms’ “German Requiem,” alongside the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and Bernard Labadie, promises to be a musical highlight. He also performs the same work this season with the WDR Symphony Orchestra and Cristian Macelaru. Additionally, he sings Mahler’s “Kindertotenlieder” with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia under Roberto González-Monjas and embarks on a tour with the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana performing Mahler’s “Des Knaben Wunderhorn” songs. Past highlights on the concert stage include appearances with the Berlin Philharmonic under Simon Rattle, the WDR Symphony Orchestra under Jukka-Pekka Saraste, and the Leipzig Gewandhaus under Andris Nelsons.
Lied singing holds a special place in Andrè Schuen’s heart. This season, he performs alongside his piano partner Daniel Heide at venues such as the Wiener Musikverein, Wigmore Hall in London, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Teatro della Zarzuela in Madrid, and the Schubertiade in Schwarzenberg and Hohenems. Furthermore, the duo consistently captivates audiences at other significant lieder centers like the Schubertiada Vilabertran, Heidelberger Frühling, and Rheingau Musik Festival. Andrè Schuen has also presented lieder recitals in the USA, including Tanglewood and the Aspen Music Festival.
Andrè Schuen receives international acclaim for his recordings. Since 2021, the Ladin baritone has been an Exclusive Recording Artist for Deutsche Grammophon. Following Schubert’s “Die schöne Müllerin,” he released “Schwanengesang” in November 2022, which earned him the coveted Opus Klassik award. This season, he follows up with the third of the major Schubert song cycles, “Winterreise.” To celebrate the 125th anniversary of Deutsche Grammophon, Andrè Schuen will perform Mahler’s “Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen” with the Konzerthausorchester and Joana Mallwitz at the Konzerthaus Berlin in December 2023.
