BIO

Joseph Schnurr is one of Canada’s most expressive young lyric tenors, establishing an impressive career on concert and operatic stages both here and in Europe. A Graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University, Joseph’s opera credits as a student at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin include Tom Rakewell (The Rake’s Progress) and the title role in Handel’s Xerxes. Berlin audiences also saw his portrayal of Tamino in Die Zauberflöte in der U-Bahn and in 2008, Joseph sang the role of Sándor Barinkay in J. Strauss’ Der Zigeunerbaron in Bodensee.

Joseph joined Pacific Opera Victoria’s Resident Artist program in 2009, singing First Priest/Armed Guard in Victoria, and Tamino in a co-production of Die Zauberflöte with Orchestra London.

Recent European performances for this accomplished artist include Evangelist in St. John Passion at Canterbury Cathedral, England, Orpheus in the Berliner Symphoniker production of Haydn’s Orpheus und Eurydike, and Tamino in a co-production of Die Zauberflöte with Stuttgart Opera in Vladivostok, Russia. Joseph returned to Berlin’s Bodemuseum for fifteen performances in the title role of Mozart’s La Clemenzo di Tito, and sang Theobald in Leon Jessel’s opera Schwarzwaldmadel in Alutsried.

In 2011, Joseph portrayed the Evangelist in the first – ever performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion in Malta with Junge Philharmonie Brandenburg Orchestra /Cologne Cathedral Choir (Hans-Jurgen Nagel, Conductor). This busy young tenor sang Uriel in twelve performances of a staged version of Haydn’s The Creation with Berliner Symphoniker, directed and conducted by Christoph Hagel. Further performances include Charpentier’s Te Deum and Puccini’s Messe di Gloria with Concertino Berlin, (Christoph Raudszuz, Conductor) and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with Preussisches Kammerorchester (Thomas Henning, Conductor).

In Canada, Mr. Schnurr has sung Haydn’s Creation with Chorus Niagara, and Messiah with Kitchener-Waterloo's Grand Philharmonic Choir, Halifax Symphony Orchestra, and Toronto's Aradia Ensemble.

In 2010, Kevin Mallon conducted Joseph’s debut with Ottawa’s Thirteen Strings in Charpentier’s Te Deum and Jacobi’s Christmas Cantata.

Highlights of Joseph's busy 2012 concert season in Europe include Messiah with Berlin's Brandenburgische Kammerphilharmonie and Bach's Christmas Oratorio with Nadine Vollmar in Hanau-Steinheim.