Prominent German countertenor Andreas Scholl will have a recital on Sept. 23 at Seoul Arts Center’s Concert Hall, three years since his last performance in Korea.

A specialist in Baroque music who performs worldwide, Scholl is known for having a singing voice equivalent to that of a female contralto or mezzo-soprano. Countertenors were first introduced to the stage in the 16th century when women were restricted from performing, resulting in men with higher vocal ranges playing the female roles. 

Andreas Scholl started singing at a young age, being born into a family of singers, and enrolled in the boys’ choir Kiedricher Chorbuben at age 7.

He became recognized for his singing abilities by tenor/countertenor Herbert Klein, who recommended he attend the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, a music academy and research institution in Basel, Switzerland. There he mastered his skills under the guidance of two of the best countertenors in the world, Ren Jacobs and Richard Levitt.

In 1993, Scholl replaced Ren Jacobs in a performance of Bach’s “St. John Passion” in the Thtre Grvin in Paris at Jacobs’ request, a performance which gained him worldwide recognition for his ethereal voice.

The program for the Andreas Scholl Recital will include notable German lieder such as Haydn’s “Despair,” Schubert’s “Du bist die Ruh D. 776,” Brahm’s “Intermezzo Op. 118 No. 2” and Mozart’s “Das Veilchen.”

Scholl will be accompanied by pianist Tamar Halperin, who is known for her wide repertoire of pieces ranging from the Renaissance to the modern era. Scholl will also hold two additional recitals at Osan Culture & Art Center on Sept. 26 and Bupyeong Arts Center on Sept. 27.

Ticket prices range from 50,000 won to 90,000 won and can be purchased at www.sac.or.kr. For more information, call (02) 541-3183.

By Cha Yo-rim (yorimcha@heraldcorp.com)