Joseph Schnurr, Tenor

Pacific Opera Victoria's The Magic Flute, April 2009

In March 2009 Joseph Schnurr joins Pacific Opera Victoria's Resident Artist Program, singing the role of First Priest and covering the role of Tamino in POV's April production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Mr. Schnurr will then perform Tamino in the Pacific Opera Victoria / Orchestra London co-production in London, Ontario in May and June, 2009.

Joseph Schnurr completed his degree in voice performance at Wilfrid Laurier University, where he studied with Victor Martens. He continued his vocal studies with Scot Weir at the Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" in Berlin and had master classes from Udo Reinemann, Mark Tuckler, Frederica von Stade and Peter Konwitschny.

In 2008/09, he performed the role of Orfeo in Haydn's opera Orfeo ed Euridice (Berlin), Tamino in Berlin's renowned production of Die Zauberflüte in der Ubahn, Sándor Barinkay in J. Strauss' Der Zigeunerbaron, and, in Canada, the title role of Mark Richard's new opera Hamlet at the Stratford summer music festival .

His opera credits include Francis Flute in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream and Le Prince Charmant in the Canadian premier of Aubert's La Forêt Bleue with WLU opera. While a student at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler he sang the roles of Tom Rakewell (The Rake's Progress) and the title role in Handel's Xerxes. In 2007, this versatile young tenor performed the role of Aeneas in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas at Berlin's Tempodrom.

Joseph was a top ranking prizewinner in both the Elora Festival Young Artist Competition and the Guelph Spring Festival Competition. Internationally, he has been a two-time member of the Festival Ensemble of the Bachakademie under the direction of Helmuth Rilling in Stuttgart, Germany.

In 2003, he was the tenor soloist in Handel's Messiah with the Regina Symphony Orchestra and gave a recital of Schumann's Dichterliebe for the 2004 Canadian German Festival in Toronto. In 2004, Joseph made his acclaimed solo debut as the Evangelist in Bach's St. John Passion at the Grand River Baroque Festival and returned in 2005 as the Evangelist in the St. Matthew Passion. In 2008 Joseph sang the Evangelist in Bach's St. John Passion at Canterbury Cathedral, England.

In August 2008, Joseph sang the title role in Mark Richard's new opera Hamlet for Stratford Summer Music. His schedule also included Liederabend in October 2008 at the Bode Museum, Berlin, and Messiah with Orillia's Cellar Singers.

March, 2009