03.02.2023

MICHAEL SCHADE | role debut as Herod

His role debut as Herod in Strauss’ Salome at the Canadian Opera Company is another milestone in Michael Schade’s highly successful career, also marking his first appearance in the character fach. THE Mozart tenor of his time, he also sang the challenging tenor roles in almost all of Richard Strauss’ operas very early on, which has given him profound knowledge of this repertoire.

To me personally, Michael Schade is an ideal performer for Herod, as he is acutely aware that this role can only be approached with incredibly solid technique, based on many years of experience as a Mozart tenor, with a certain operetta-like tone of velvet and the articulation of a song recitalist. Even when Herod has his despotic and aggressive outbursts, I am interested in the intermediate notes, the childishly naïve element – and that is where Michael Schade’s sophisticated piano singing comes into play!