Florian Boesch

Florian Boesch started his vocal studies with Kammersängerin Ruthilde Boesch. From 1997 on he studied at the University of Music in Vienna, in the past years Lied und Oratorium with Robert Holl.

He appeared in various opera productions of the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst as well as in productions of some freelance opera companies. Under the baton of Marcello Viotti Florian Boesch sang Silvano in a concert performance at the Münchner Philharmonie and under Claus Peter Flor he could be heard in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at the Wiener Konzerthaus.

With the Stadttheater Klagenfurt he did Le nozze di Figaro, Die Zauberflöte and Così fan tutte. At the Theater Wuppertal he appeared in the title role of Don Giovanni and with the Bregenz Festival he sang Schaunard and covered Marcello (La Bohème). In October 2003 he made his debut at the Zurich Opera in the role of Papageno.

In 2004 the young baritone could be heard at the Vienna Volksoper where he performed Figaro, Leporello, and Papageno. In summer 2004 he made his debut at the Salzburg Festival as Polizeikommissar in a new production of Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier under Semyon Bychkov, followed by his debut in the role of Guglielmo (Così fan tutte) at the Stadttheater Klagenfurt.

In September 2002 Florian Boesch gave his outstanding recital-debut at the Schubertiade Festival in Schwarzenberg/Austria, followed by recitals at the Österreichische Kulturinstitut in New York City and at the styriarte festival in Graz. Furthermore the young baritone appeared in the role of Tiridate in Handel's Radamisto in Salzburg, he further performed Joseph Haydn's Orlando paladino under the baton of Nikolaus Harnoncourt at the Wiener Musikverein, Mozart's Mass in C minor and Bach's Matthäuspassion with Helmuth Rilling and as well could be heard at the styriarte festival in Graz in performances of Beethoven's Chorfantasie and Handel’s Alexanderfest under Nikolaus Harnoncourt. Florian Boesch sang the role of Simon in Schubert's Lazarus, again with Harnoncourt at the Wiener Musikverein where he also Handel's Messiah under Martin Haselböck. Further engagements included Mahler's Lieder aus Des Knaben Wunderhorn and Schubert's Mass in B flat major in Vienna, and others.

The 2004/2005 season included concerts with Bach Cantatas at the Haydn-Festival in Eisenstadt under Adam Fischer, Wolf's Michelangelo-Lieder with Berlin Symphony, Winterreise in New York City, Vivaldi's Farnace with Jordi Savall at the Wiener Konzerthaus, Die schöne Müllerin in Tokyo, and Orlando paladino under Nikolaus Harnoncourt at the styriarte Festival.

Highlights of 2005/2006 season were a solo recital at the International Edinburgh Festival, Mozart's Mass in C minor and Zaide with Nikolaus Harnoncourt at the Wiener Musikverein, appearances as Figaro, Guglielmo and Papageno with the Staatstheater Stuttgart and a solo recital at the Schubertiade Festival in Schwarzenberg. Under Nikolaus Harnoncourt Florian Boesch sang the part of Antonio (Le nozze di Figaro) at the Salzburg Festival 2006 (stage director: Claus Guth).

The 2006/2007 season included appearances at the Lucerne Festival with Antonio Salieri's Prima la musica, at the Wiener Musikverein with Handel's Apollo e Dafne. He sings Mozart's Requiem with Hamburg Ballett and John Neumeier, and the world premiere of Bernhard Lang's opera I hate Mozart (directed by Michael Sturminger), both at the Theater an der Wien. Boesch appeared as Papageno at the Bolshoi Moscow, the Staatstheater Stuttgart and the Wiener Volksoper. Furthermore the baritone sang at Wigmore Hall London, the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, the Wiener Musikverein and the Auditorio Milano di Giuseppe Verdi.

Highlights of the past season were concerts with the Brahms-Requiem under Philippe Herreweghe, Schubert lieder at the Aldeburgh Festival, Mozart's Coronation Mass under Nikolaus Harnoncourt, his debut at the Handel Festspiele Halle in the role of Gobryas in Handel's Belshazzar, a concert with Handel's Acis and Galathea in the Theater an der Wien, and a highly acclaimed solo lied recital in the Vienna Konzerthaus.

In the season 2008/2009 Florian Boesch is singing in Handel's Partenope and in the Messiah in the Theater an der Wien, he is returning to the Bolshoi Theatre with Papageno. Furthermore he is singing Haydn's Paukenmesse under Georges Prêtre in Vienna Musikverein, the Mozart-Requiem under Gerd Albrecht im Mozarteum Salzburg, Haydn's Harmoniemesse with Nikolaus Harnoncourt in Salzburg, Schubert's Mass E flat major with Franz Welser-Möst and Wozzeck Schlussbild with the Bochum Symphonic Orchestra.

For his interpretation of Papageno (conductor: St. Bedford / director: G. Vick) at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moskow Florian Boesch was awarded with the Russian Theatre Prize, the Golden Mask, in April 2007.