Songs & arias evening with Thomas Essl, baritone - Kufstein

The Austrian baritone Thomas Essl appeared in the 2021/2022 season at Graz Opera as Halit in the world premiere of Sinan Sanamli's opera The Patron Saint of Liars and as Lazar Wolf in Jerry Bock's musical Anatevka, at Leoben City Theatre as Eisenstein in Johann Strauss' Die Fledermaus, at the Festival Lied in Würzburg with Schubert's Schwanengesang and at the Austrian opera festival Oper Burg Gars as Dancairo in Bizet's Carmen. Previous engagements include gala concerts in Riga, A German Requiem by Johannes Brahms in Graz, the role of Krušina in Smetana's The Bartered Bride at Graz Opera and Schumann's Dichterliebe again at the Festival Lied in Würzburg. In previous years, he was a prizewinner in the Zukunftsstimmen competition organised by Elīna Garanča, sang Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, Conte Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Scherasmin in Oberon under the musical direction of Oksana Lyniv, the Innkeeper in Die Königskinder and Frank in Die Fledermaus at Graz Opera, Don Giovanni at the Ring Award at Schauspielhaus Graz and Count Hanschmann in Lehár's Die blaue Mazur at Stadttheater Baden. In October 2022, he appeared as Méphistophélès in La damnation de Faust by Berlioz at the Great Amber Hall in Liepāja/Latvia. In 2018, Thomas Essl won prizes at the Nico Dostal Operetta Competition and the Academia Vocalis in Wörgl. He also regularly appears on the concert stage with great success as a lieder singer and with masses and oratorios by Bach, among others.

Born in Leoben and raised in Trofaiach, Thomas Essl studied trumpet and jazz piano in Graz. He received his vocal training in Graz with Susanne Kopeinig and at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna with Karlheinz Hanser. He attended masterclasses with KS Brigitte Fassbaender, Thomas Hampson, KS Christa Ludwig, Thomas Quasthoff and KS Krassimira Stoyanova and took acting lessons with Chris Pichler. After appearing as a guest in residence at Chemnitz Theatre in the 2022/2023 season with roles such as Escamillo, Peter Besenbinder and Wozzeck, Thomas Essl has been a permanent member of the Chemnitz Opera ensemble since 2023/2024.

On the piano: Andrea Marie Baiocchi, HfM Würzburg
Admission: € 25 at the box office
Advance booking: € 20