The American bass-baritone, Stephen Morscheck, graduated from Wheaton College and completed advanced degrees from the University of Michigan. In 1995, he was awarded the “Richard Tucker Career Grant.”
Stephen Morscheck is widely respected for the dignity he brings in concert and opera performances. “Stephen Morscheck's Leporello was genuinely funny, as well as solidly sung. His catalogue aria was almost too effective, drawing applause before its conclusion,” says Opera News of a recent Don Giovanni performance. Of Verdi’s Requiem, The Boston Globe said he is, “solid, and reliable, estimable qualities not to be taken for granted.”
Engagements from the 2006-2007 season include Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with the Atlanta Opera, Nourabad in Les Pêcheurs de Perles with Kentucky Opera, J.S. Bach's St. John Passion (BWV 245) with the L’Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, W.A. Mozart's Requiem with the Eastern Connecticut Symphony, Verdi Requiem with the Anchorage Symphony, Missa Solemnis with the Milwaukee Symphony, Dvorak’s Stabat Materwith the Berkshire Choral Festival, and Simon in Judas Maccabeus and King Arthur with Music of the Baroque, Chicago.
Additional noted engagements include Rocco in Fidelio with Florentine Opera of Milwaukee, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Washington Opera, Publius in La Clemenza di Tito with Santa Fe Opera, Palemon in Thaïs with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Colline in La Bohème with Los Angeles, Dallas Opera and L’Opera de Montreal, Don Alphonso in Cosi Fan Tutte and Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Kentucky Opera, and Alidoro in La Cenerentola with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Florentine Opera.
In the 2007-2008 season, engagements included Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with L’Opera de Montreal, Leporello in Don Giovanni with Opera Carolina, Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro with Atlanta Opera, J.S. Bach's St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244) with the L’Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Arizona Opera, George Frideric Handel’s Messiah with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Duke Chapel Choir, and soloist in the Atlanta Operagala. In the 2008-2009 season, performances included Rocco in Fidelio at Opera Company of Philadelphia, Bartolo in W.A. Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro with Dallas Opera, Alidoro in La Cenerentola with Orlando Opera, L.v. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the National Symphony Orchestra in Santo Domingo, the title role in Hercules with Music of the Baroque, and Le Chiffonnier in Louise in a return to the Spoleto Festival USA, where he previously performed John Adams in Amistad during the summer 2008.
In the current 2009-2010 season and beyond, engagements include Sparafucile in Rigoletto at the Florentine Opera, Don Alphonso in Cosi Fan Tutte with Arizona Opera, Capulet in Roméo et Juliette at the Dallas Opera, Kecal in Smetana’s Prodaná nevešta (The Bartered Bride) in Czech at the University of North Texas, W.A. Mozart’s Requiem with Music of the Baroque, G.F. Handel’s Messiah with the Dallas Bach Society, Verdi’s Requiem with the University of North Texas, L.v. Beethoven's Missa Solemnis with the Choral Society of Durham, and J.S. Bach's B Minor Mass (BWV 232) with the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica in San Jose.
Stephen Morscheck has also been active in recitals and oratorios. Among his repertoire are W.A. Mozart's Requiem and Mass in C Minor, J.S. Bach's B Minor Mass (BWV 232), Magnificat (BWV 243), and St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244), L.v. Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah, G.F. Handel’s Messiah and Judas Maccabaeus, Rossini's Stabat Mater, Haydn’s The Seasons and Teresian Mass, Gustav Mahler’s Eighth Symphony, Philip Glass’ The Civil Wars at Carnegie Hall and in a recording with Jessye Norman, George Crumb's Songs, Drones, and Refrains of Death, and Kurt Weill’s Der Lindbergflugh. |