25.10.2019

MICHAEL SCHADE as Florestan in Beethoven’s Fidelio in Montréal

Beethoven’s 250th birthday will be celebrated in 2020. This anniversary is already looming, with many opera houses and concert halls all around the world beginning to present Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio.

Fidelio partially resembles a singspiel, but also has a distinctly heroic character. Its finale celebrates the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity amidst jubilation. Fidelio expresses Beethoven’s visionary belief that faith, love and hope of the individual may affect the larger picture – and even topple political systems.

In a concert performance of Beethoven’s Fidelio, Michael Schade celebrated great personal success in Tokyo, where he sang the role of Florestan with the NHK Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Paavo Järvi.

Michael Schade, who preferred to make his role debuts under the baton of Nikolaus Harnoncourt, first sang Florestan in 2013 under that very baton at the Theater an der Wien. His interpretation of the role has matured over the past six years – yet Schade remains convinced that Beethoven’s music has far more in common with Schubert than with Wagner. “In the spring days of life – the beginning of the aria, that sounds like a Schubert song,” thus Schade.

We look forward to his next concert performances of Beethoven’s Fidelio on 25th and 27th of October 2019, when he resumes the role with the Orchestre Métropolitain under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin in Montréal

Besetzung

Tokyo | Bunkamura, Orchard Hall

Adrianne Pieczonka, Leonore
Michael Schade, Florestan
Franz-Josef Selig, Rocco
Wolfgang Koch, Don Pizarro

Mojca Erdmann, Marzelline
New National Theatre Chorus
NHK Symphony Orchestra
Paavo Järvi, Conductor

Montreal | Maison symphonique de Montréal

Michael Schade, Florestan
Lise Davidsen, Leonore
Luca Pisaroni, Don Pizarro
Alan Held, Fernando
Raymond Aceto, Rocco
Kimy McLaren, Marzelline
Jean-Michel Richer, Jaquino
Spencer Britten, Prisoner 1
Jean-Philippe McClish, Prisoner 2

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Conductor
Choeur de l'Opéra de Montréal
Orchestre Métripolitain