Born in Frankfurt, Germany, Markus Matheis gained early performing experience as a boy treble soloist for the Oper Frankfurt and the Alte Oper Frankfurt. He subsequently studied voice with Carol Bruetting and Thomas Meyer, and performance style, particularly the performance of Lied, with Graham Johnson, Irwin Gage and Dalton Baldwin.
Markus’ theatre work stretches from conventional to experimental theatre productions: He was engaged by Theater Lübeck as Falke in Die Fledermaus and regularly cast for Kammeroper Frankfurt in such roles as Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte, Popolani in Offenbach’s Ritter Blaubart, Dancairo and Morales in Carmen, Danilo in The Merry Widow and The Street Singer in Weill’s Threepenny Opera.
Markus appeared as Alidoro in La cenerentola directed by Philipp Harnoncourt, as Einstein in Graewe’s Alle kennen meine Visage with Ensemble Phoenix at Konzerthaus Dortmund and Jüdisches Museum Berlin, sang the baritone roles in the Fehlmann/Heisch/Lang opera tryptich, Jack in the box for ensemble für neue music zürich, and John in Menotti’s The Consul for Studio Mauritius in Saarbrücken, while for Neuköllner Oper he has appeared as Zurga in The pearlfishers and as Frederick in Palomar’s Bazaar Cassandra performances of which Der Tagesspiegel said, Markus Matheis is brilliant.
He appeared as Leporello in Don Giovanni in the Belgrade International Theatre Festival 40th anniversary program, in the Goethe Festwoche season of Johann André’s Erwin und Elmire and as Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte at the Yarra Valley Festival. He made his debut for Victorian Opera in Melbourne in 2019 in the role of Mr Lindquist in A little night music while other appearances in Australia have included engagements by Australian Contemporary Opera Company as King Hildebrandt and North Wind in Jonathan Dove’s The Enchanted Pig and by Australian International Opera Productions for the role of Figaro in Il barbiere die Siviglia and Bartolo in Le nozze die Figaro on tour in China. He was also engaged for the role of Creon in Hull Urban Opera‘s subsequently postponed season of Milhaud’s Medea in 2022.
Markus oratorio and concert repertoire is equally extensive, covering Baroque and Romantic works as well as contemporary sacred music, having performed as soloist with Deutsche Radiophilharmonie, Mitteldeutsches Kammerorchester, Beethoven Orchester Bonn, Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt, Duisburger Philharmoniker and Klassikphilharmoe Hamburg as well as with specialists of early and baroque music Rosenmüller Ensemble, Capella Weilburgensis, Karlsruher Barockorchester and Main-Barockorchester. Most recent oratorio appearances include Elgar’s The Apostles for Alte Musik Weilburg and the role of Christus in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion for Cheltenham Bach Choir.
As a passionate recitalist, Markus is dedicated to performing and coaching Lied and Art Song—an art form where he has found recognition as a prizewinner and finalist in international competitions. Mentorships and collaborations include legendary Lied pianists such as Graham Johnson, Roger Vignoles, Irwin Gage and Dalton Baldwin. Last season saw him return to Australia for three Lieder recitals, including one at the Melbourne Recital Centre, and serving as the adjudicator for Australia’s National Liederfest. Of his recital work, Frankfurter Neue Presse has written, “With a perfect approach… no need to shy away from comparison with the world-famous baritone Thomas Hampson. A rare musical experience.”
Biography
Biography
Repertoire
Repertoire
THEATRE
— André Erwin und Elmire (Vater)
— Bellini I Puritani (Riccardo)
— Bizet Les pêcheurs de perles (Zurga) Carmen (Escamillo, Moralès, Dancairo)
— Brecht Die Dreigroschenoper (Balladensänger, Sprecher)
— Donizetti Don Pasquale (Malatesta) L’Elisir d’Amore (Belcore)
— Dove The enchanted pig (Hildebrandt, North Wind)
— Fehlmann Tragödie (Bariton)
— Gounod Faust (Valentin) Romeo et Juliette (Mercutio)
— Graewe „alle kennen meine visage“ (Bariton)
— Händel Acis and Galathea (Acis)
— Heisch Rondo (Bariton)
— Humperdinck Hänsel und Gretel (Vater)
— Korngold Die tote Stadt (Fritz)
— Krenek Johnny spielt auf (Daniello)
— Lang Experiment (Bariton)
— Léhar Die lustige Witwe (Danilo)
— Ligeti Aventures (Bariton)
— Lortzing Wildschütz (Graf)
— Marschner Hans Heiling (Hans Heiling)
— Menotti The Consul (John)
— Milhaud Medea (Creon)
— Mozart Die Zauberflöte (Papageno) Cosi fan tutte (Guglielmo) Le nozze di Figaro (Graf, Bartolo) Don Giovanni (Leporello)
— Offenbach Ritter Blaubart (Popolani)
— Palomar Bazaar Cassandra (Frank)
— Rossini La Cenerentola (Dandini, Alidoro) Gelegenheit macht Diebe (Martino) Il barbiere die Siviglia (Figaro)
— Sondheim A Little Night Music (Mr Lindquist)
— Strauss, Richard Ariadne (Harlekin)
— Strauß, Johann Die Fledermaus (Dr. Falke)
CONCERT
— Bach, Johann Sebastian Oratorien/Messen: Johannespassion Matthäuspassion Weihnachtsoratorium Magnificat Messe in A-Dur Messe in h-Moll Messe in g-Moll BWV 235 Motetten BWV 225-231 Solokantaten: Nr. 56 "Ich will
den Kreuzstab gerne tragen" Nr. 82 "Ich habe genug" Kantaten: Nr. 8 "Liebster Gott, wann wird ich sterben"; Nr. 21 "Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis"; Nr. 33 "Allein zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ";
Nr. 62 "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland"; Nr. 70 "Wachet, betet"; Nr. 80 "Eine feste Burg ist unser Gott"; Nr. 87 "Bisher habt ihr nichts gebeten in meinem Namen"; Nr. 106 Actus tragicus "Gottes
Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit"; Nr. 111 "Was mein Gott will, das g'scheh allzeit"; Nr. 138 "Warum betrübst du dich, mein Herz"; Nr. 140 "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme"; Nr. 147 "Herz und
Mund und Tat und Leben"; Nr. 172 "Erschallet ihr Lieder"; Nr. 187 "Es wartet alles auf dich"; Nr. 211 "Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht"; Nr. 212 "Mer hahn en neue Oberkeet" — Biber
Requiem — Brahms Requiem — Briegel Mache dich auf, werde Licht — Britten War Requiem — Distler Choralpassion — Du Grain Willkommen, Erlöser der Erden — Durante Magnificat — Dvorák
Requiem Te Deum — Fasch Johannespassion — Fauré Requiem — Franck Les Béatitudes — Graupner Kantaten "Kommt Seelen, seid in Andacht stille"; "Christus, der uns selig macht";
"Die Gewaltigen raten nach ihrem Mutwillen" — van Helmont Missa Sancte Gudilae — Händel Messiah Utrechter Te Deum Jephtha — Haydn, Joseph Die Jahreszeiten Die Schöpfung Nelson-Messe Theresienmesse
— Hindemith Flieder-Requiem — Homilius Motetten "Herr, lehre uns bedenken", "Unser Vater in dem Himmel", "Dennoch bleib ich stets an dir" — Mendelssohn Lobgesang Paulus Vom Himmel hoch
— Mozart Missa brevis in D KV 194 Missa brevis in C KV 258 Missa in C (Krönungsmesse) KV 317 Vesperae solenelle KV 339 Requiem — Orff Carmina burana — Pepusch Magnificat — Purcell Lord, what is man —
Rolle Weihnachtsoratorium — Rosenmüller Vesperpsalmen — Rossini Stabat mater Petit Messe Solenelle — Saint-Saens Oratorio de Noel — Schütz Historia der Auferstehung Jesu Christi Johannespassion
Matthäuspassion Musikalische Exequien Psalm 30 — Schumann, Robert Szenen aus Goethes Faust — Telemann Kantaten "Hast du denn Jesus" TWV 1:718, "Gott, bei dir ist die lebendige Quelle" TWV 1:633,
"Machet die Tore weit" TWV 1:1074; aus dem "Harmonischen Gottesdienst": (1) Neujahr, (3) Heilige drei Könige, (9) 5. Sonntag nach Heilige drei Könige, (21) 2. Osterfeiertag, (22) 2. Osterfeiertag, (31) 1.
Pfingsttag, (33) 3. Pfingsttag, (34) Trinitatis, (36) 2. Sonntag nach Trinitatis, (40) 6. Sonntag nach Trinitatis, (58) 24. Sonntag nach Trinitatis — White Lamentations — Webern II. Kantate
LIED
— Bach, Joh. Seb.
— Berg
— Brahms
— Beethoven
— Bernstein
— Copland
— Cornelius
— Crickboom
— Dallapiccola
— Debussy
— Dvorák
— Eggert
— Eisler
— Eröd
— Fauré
— Finzi
— Gounod
— Hindemith
— Korngold
— Kowalski
— Krenek
— Mahler, Gustav
— Mahler, Alma
— Mendelssohn
— Milhaud
— Montsalvatge
— Morgenstern
— Mozart
— Nielsen
— Paulus
— Pfitzner
— Paulus
— Pizzetti
— Purcell
— Reimann
— Reutter
— Rihm
— Rossini
— Schönberg
— Schreker
— Schubert
— Schumann, Robert
— Schumann, Clara
— Sekles
— Strauss
— Vaughan Williams
— Webern
— Wolf
Performing
Performing
▸ W. A. Mozart – Don Giovanni – Madamina, il catalogo è questo – Leporello
▸ Rossini – La Cenerentola – Là del ciel nell´arcano profondo – Alidoro
▸ Rossini – Il barbiere di Siviglia – Largo al factotum – Figaro
▸ Lehar – Die lustige Witwe – Auftrittslied – Danilo
▸ Palomar – Bazaar Cassandra (UA) – Traumszene – Frank
▸ Dvorak – Stabat mater – Fac, ut ardeat
♫ Elgar – The Apostles (excerpt Judas)
▸ Schubert – Schwanengesang
▸ »Erwartung« – Lieder von Brahms, Pfitzner, Schönberg, Schreker
Press
Press
— "alle kennen meine visage ": Deutschlandradio - Above all Markus Matheis has sung it excellent with a really beautiful, very sonorous voice, where the comprehension and understanding of the lyrics makes you enjoy listening to and focusing on the text. — "Lustige Witwe ": Frankfurter Rundschau - The couple in the center, Hanna and Danilo, is convincingly casted: ... with Markus Matheis as a comedian with an unconstrained tenor voice. His performance as a drunken limb doll is of the finest quality ... — "Christmas Oratorio": Bonner General–Anzeiger - Markus Matheis, bass, left an excellent impression ... Thüringer Allgemeine - Markus Matheis scored with his towards the dramatical tending voice ... Very nice to hear were the legato melismas in the duet with the solo oboe ... He was also able to cope well with characteristic details. How he interpreted Herod's sardonic laughter in "adore" made the listener feel goosebumps ... IKZ - Especially impressive was the performance of Markus Matheis. Such a sonorous and expressive bass has rarely been heard ... — Recital Vaughan Williams, Ravel, Schubert, Mahler: Frankfurter Neue Presse - With a perfect approach Markus Matheis raised the tone ... who did not need to shy away from the comparison with the world–famous baritone Thomas Hampson ... a rare musical experience ... — "Cosi fan tutte": Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung - ... the wonderfully velvety voice of Markus Matheis ... Der Neue Merker - ... very pleasant the timbre of Guglielmo sung by Markus Matheis ... — "Bazaar Cassandra": Tagesspiegel - Markus Matheis is brilliant, chanting between charismatic politician and underbuttered husband ... — "Ritter Blaubart": hr2 - ... acting-wise a highlight, vocally also very present and understandable was Markus Matheis, whose playing was full of refinement and full of smaller gestures, which have brought a great effect ... — "Jephtha": Frankfurter Rundschau - Markus Matheis with striking, intonation–proof bass countered with high priestly atonement ... Offenbach Post - If the audience had not been vigorously referred to the Old Testament by the room-filling bass baritone Markus Matheis, it could have sometimes forgotten the religious background ... — "Messiah": Kölner Stadtanzeiger - Markus Matheis' bass baritone won the listeners with all desirable qualities: pleasant timbre, precise articulation, high coloraturity and security in all situations. — Recital Schumann, Pfitzner, Eisler: Offenbach Post - Markus Matheis' baritone is sensitive. He refrains from excessive dramatic effects and therefore never runs the risk of getting too close to mannerisms. His voice is soft, rounded and masterfully led.
Contact
Contact
Markus Matheis
T +44 (0)7828 912 290
E markus@markusmatheis.com
Representation for concert and opera inquiries:
Jeff Weaver
WEAVER ARTIST MANAGEMENT
PO Box 7670, St Kilda Road
Melbourne Australia 3004
T +61 (0)3 9408 1708
M +61 (0)403 379 937
E jeffweaver@weaverartistmanagement.com.au
W weaverartistmanagement.com.au
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