Shenyang

As winner of the 2007 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, Chinese bass-baritone Shenyang was brought swiftly to international attention and an array of important debuts followed including at the Metropolitan Opera, Glyndebourne Festival, Bayerische Staatsoper, Opernhaus Zürich and Washington National Opera. This versatile artist has since established himself as one of the finest voices of his generation, amassed an expansive repertoire for both opera and concert stage, and enjoys ongoing collaborative relationships with many of today’s pre-eminent conductors.

With an early career focused on the roles of Rossini, Mozart and Handel, Shenyang has pivoted to a more dramatic repertoire with several new roles added in recent seasons: Don Pizarro in a semi-staging of Beethoven’s Fidelio with Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra under Gustavo Dudamel; Jochanaan in Salome with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra under Alexander Liebreich; Gunther in Götterdämmerung with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) under Jaap van Zweden (released on Naxos); Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde at the 2021 Glyndebourne Festival and BBC Proms under Robin Ticciati; and Klingsor in concert performances of Parsifal at La Monnaie under Alain Altinoglu.

In 2022/23 Season, Shenyang appears as Kurwenal with Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and Don Pizarro with Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, under music directors Robin Ticciati and Paavo Järvi respectively. Elsewhere Verdi’s Messa da Requiem marks his debuts with both Orchestre National de Lyon under Simone Young and Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra under Ed Gardner as well as his return to Shanghai Symphony Orchestra under Yu Long, and Beethoven’s Symphony no. 9 features with both Wiener Konzerthausorchester under Klaus Mäkelä and the HK Phil under Jaap van Zweden.

The concert stage has always played a key role in Shenyang’s seasons, taking him to all corners of the globe. Recent highlights include Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex (Tiresias) with Concertgebouworkest/Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Berlioz’s Roméo et Juliette with Berliner Philharmoniker/Daniel Harding, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with San Francisco Symphony/Michael Tilson-Thomas, Beethoven’s Symphony no. 9 with Philadelphia Orchestra/Yannick Nézet-Séguin and New York Philharmonic/Alan Gilbert, Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem with Boston Symphony Orchestra/Andris Nelsons and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/Ilan Volkov, Mussorgsky’s Songs of Dances and Death with Helsinki Philharmonic/Klaus Mäkelä, and Mahler’s Symphony no. 8 with Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest/Marc Albrecht.

Committed to promoting the vocal treasures of his native heritage, the title role in Tan Dun’s Buddha Passion is a particular calling-card following premiere performances at Dresdner Musikfestspiele, Los Angeles Philharmonic and Melbourne Symphony orchestras. The work brings Shenyang’s debuts with London Philharmonic Orchestra and at Müpa Budapest this season, conducted by the composer himself. Ye Xiaogang is another important collaborator with Shenyang appearing on the CD release of his orchestral song cycle The Song of the Earth, recorded for Deutsche Grammophon under the baton of Yu Long, and marking Shenyang’s anticipated return to Melbourne Symphony Orchestra this season. A recipient of the Alice Tully Vocal Arts Award for his commitment to Lieder and as a passionate programme curator, Shenyang has been heard at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and presents his new project “Variations of Jade – The Journey of Tang Poetry” at Wigmore Hall, National Centre of Performing Arts Beijing and the Macao International Music Festival this season. On disc, Shenyang features on “A Lost World”, showcasing Schubert songs and duets together with soprano Susanna Phillips and pianist Brian Zeger (released on Delos).