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Markus Brutscher (Tenor)

Born: 1966 - Landsberg, Bavaria, Germany

The German tenor, Markus Brutscher, was born in Landsberg in Bavaria and raised in Augsburg. He received his initial musical education in the boys choirs of the Regensburger Domspatzen and Augsburger Domsingknaben. In 1985, he began his formal studies at the Leopold Mozart Conservatory in Augsburg, going on to High School for Music in Munich. He went on to study with Norma Sharp at the Hans Eisler Hochschule für Musik in Berlin, in London with Rudolf Piernay, in Frankfurt with Karlheinz Jarius and finally in Maastricht with Mya Besselink.

Markus Brutscher started his career whilst still a student and soon became one of the most sought-after tenors in Germany. He has performed in all the major music capitals of Europe, America and Asia. He is a permanent guest soloist at the Berlin, Leipzig, Halle, Ansbach, Salzburg, Vienna, Paris, Basel, Moscow, Sydney, Boston, Toronto, Rio de Janeiro, Japan and Israel international festivals. Recently he was guest soloist with the Wiener Akademie at the Osterklang-Festival in Vienna, performed for the European Capital of Culture in the city of Salamanca, performed with the Kölner Kammerorchester in the the Kölner Philharmonie and in the Theatre des Champs Elysees in Paris.

Markus Brutscher regularly works with prominent orchestras in Europe (Klangforum Wien, Ensemble Intercontemporain, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Musikfabrik Köln, etc.), America and Australia (Australian Brandenburg Orchestra) as well as with leading conductors such as Gary Bertini, Frieder Bernius, Teodor Currentzis, René Jacobs, Martin Haselböck, Thomas Hengelbrock, Robert King, Alessandro de Marchi, Hermann Max, Marc Minkowski, Helmut Müller-Brühl, Peter Neumann, Andrew Parrott, Helmuth Rilling, Michael Schneider, and others.

The musical press are unanimous in their praise of Markus Brutscher´s musical ability; the remarkable timbre of his voice as well as his vocal techniques and overwhelming stylistic sovereignty in all languages. Although he has always been considered as a specialist in early music, his wide-ranging repertoire encompasses works from all musical eras, from early Baroque to modern times. He has also found international acknowledgement for his high level of commitment to contemporary music. He regularly performs Lieder recitals with Camillo Radecke Winterreise, and songs by Haydn with Barbara Maria Willi (Fortepiano).

In addition to the concert activity, Markus Brutscher devotes himself to the operatic repertoire. His singing and acting performance, in works by W.A. Mozart, Strauss, Weber, Weill and others, at major European opera houses and at festivals quickly gained international attention. He has performed opera under Christoph Spering, Wolfgang Katschner and Michael Schneider in the Schlosstheater Sanssouci, in the Hans-Otto-Theater Potsdam. His most recent performance was in the role of Adastro in Traetta's Antigona, under the direction of Paul Dombrecht in Bruges, Antwerp, Salamanca and Brussels. Particularly noteworthy was the spectacular staging of La Fura dels Baus at the RuhrTriennale in Bochum and at the Teatro Real Madrid and his engagement at the Opera National de Paris with W.A. Mozart's Die Zauberflöte under the direction of Thomas Hengelbrock.

His commitment to contemporary music is also receiving international recognition. His performance in Schnittke's Faust with the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Jurowski was highly acclaimed. In 2010, Mauricio Kagel's In der Matratzengruft was formed with Musikfabrik Köln (CD, Wergo 2016). This was followed by concerts with the Ensemble Intercontemporain in Paris and Klangforum Wien (Zender's Winterreise under the direction of Emilio Pomàrico).

In his 2002-2003 season Markus Brutcher starred as Alessandro in W.A. Mozart's Il re pastore with the Ensemble Transparant in Antwerp and Brussels as well as also being cast as Kreonte in Traetta's Antigona at the Stadttheater Gießen. In September 2003, he was Monostatos in W.A. Mozart's Die Zauberflöte conducted by Marc Minkowski in the spectacular stage performance of La Fura dels Baus which was shown at the RuhrTriennale. His 2003-2004 season included a performance as Eisenstein in Johann Strauss' Die Fledermaus at the Stadttheater Gießen as well as the part of Kudrias in Janacek's Katja Kabanova at the Stadttheater Bielefeld. In 2005 he performed at the Teatro Real in Madrid as Monostatos in W.A. Mozart´s Die Zauberflöte, in Stuttgart at the Staatsoper, as Monostatos, and in Japan with several performances of the Messiah with the Tokyo Symphonie Orchestra.

In 2008 Markus Brutcher appeared on the CD's Zaide by W.A. Mozart with the Orchester Wiener Akademie under Martin Haselböck, B minor Mass (BWV 232) by J.S. Bach, directed by Marc Minkowski and Paulus by Felix Mendelssohn under Doris Hagel. He also released his first solo CD with Lunaris records: "Bleibt ihr Engel, bleibt bei mir" Cantatas and arias by J.S. Bach with Hajo Wienroth flute, Mark Baigent oboe and Le Chardon Baroque ensemble. In September 2012, he was very successful with Monteverdi's L'Orfeo in a series of performances with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. 2013 and 2014 saw the sensational production of The Indian Queen (Henry Purcell) with Teodor Currentzis and Peter Sellars in Perm and at the Teatro Real in Madrid (released as Blu-ray and DVD by Sony).

He has been involved in numerous radio and CD productions. More than 60 recordings on labels as Sony Classics, EMI/Electrola, Harmonia Mundi, Capriccio and Thorofon, show the versatility of Markus Brutscher as a singer. Recent CD releases include “Fire” with the Capella de la Torre (Echo Award Winners) and J.S. Bach's Luther Cantatas with Musica Fiata Köln (German Harmonia Mundi, 2017) and W.A. Mozart's Requiem in D minor with Teodor Currentzis and Musica Aeterna Bratislava (CD, Alpha 2016).

Markus Brutscher is currently composing a symphonic mass.


More Photos

Sources:
Liner notes to Capriccio 2-CD 60033-2 (Mass in H-Moll, conducted by Max, 1993)
Liner notes to the 2-CD album ‘Bach: Passio secundum Johannem’ conducted by Peter Neumann (MDG, 2000)
Le Chardon Website
Markus Brutscher Website
Photos 11-14: © Robert Recker
Contributed by
Aryeh Oron (April 2001, June 2009); Matthias Bayer (February 2018)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Frieder Bernius

Tenor

BWV 225-229

Roland Büchner

Tenor

BWV 10, BWV 243a

Matthias Grünert

Tenor

BWV 232, BWV 248/1-6 [2nd]

Werner Hümmeke

Tenor

BWV 248 (x2)

Roderich Kreile

Tenor

BWV 248/1-3 [2nd]

Françoise Lasserre

Tenor

[CV-1] (2010, Video): BWV 198
[V-1] (2011, Video): BWV 244 [Evangelist]

Hermann Max

Tenor

BWV 127
V-1 (1992):
BWV 232 [1st recording]
BWV 237, BWV 238, BWV 243a, BWV 245
C.H. Graun- G.P. Telemann, J.C. Altnikol-J. Kuhnau-J.S. Bach: Passions-Pasticcio

Hermann Max

Tenor

Member of Rheinische Kantorei:
C-2 (1990);
BWV 127, C.H. Graun- G.P. Telemann, J.C. Altnikol-J. Kuhnau-J.S. Bach: Passions-Pasticcio

Marc Minkowski

Tenor

V-1 (2008): BWV 232 [1st recording]

Peter Neumann

Tenor

Video (2009): BWV 45, BWV 23
BWV 245
G.F. Handel: Brockes Passion, HWV 48

Gotthold Schwarz

Tenor

Radio: BWV 9, BWV 23, BWV 45, BWV 105, BWV 157

Hajo Wienroth

Tenor

[C-2] (2008): BWV 55, BWV 82; Tenor Arias BWV 19/Mvt. 5, BWV 78/Mvt. 4, BWV 161/Mvt. 3, BWV 188/Mvt. 2, BWV 247, BWV 249/Mvt. 7

Roland Wilson

Tenor

BWV 2, BWV 7, BWV 38

Achim Zimmermann

Tenor

BWV 244

Links to other Sites

Tenor Markus Brutscher (Official Website) [German/English]
Markus Brutscher - Tenor (Le Chardon)


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Last update: Sunday, February 06, 2022 05:44