22.05.2026

MICHAEL SCHADE | A versatile May with concerts between Spain and Stift Melk

May 2026 takes Michael Schade on a musically diverse journey across Europe. The tenor appears in a variety of concert formats, spanning English vocal music of the 17th century, Baroque oratorio, and song recitals from the Classical and Romantic eras.

The month opens with a concert tour through Spain alongside renowned gambist Fahmi Alqhai and the Accademia del Piacere. Under the title “Sweeter than roses,” the ensemble explores the English vocal tradition of the 17th century with works by John Dowland and Henry Purcell. Performances in Salamanca, Madrid, and Seville offer a finely nuanced dialogue between voice and historical performance practice.

“[…] beyond the beauty of his phrasing, vocal colour, and flawless technique in every register, nuance, and articulation, it was above all the expressive power he conveys, combined with his constant closeness to the audience, that made the concert such a pleasurable and enjoyable experience.” (Ritmo.es)

Back in Austria, Michael Schade can be heard on 22 May at the International Baroque Days at Stift Melk. In George Frideric Handel’s oratorio Il Trionfo del Tempo, he sings the role of Tempo, performing alongside Patricia Nolz and the Concentus Musicus Wien under the direction of Stefan Gottfried, opening the festival.

For those unable to attend the already sold-out opening concert in Melk, it will be broadcast on Sunday, 24 May at 20:15 on ORF III as part of the programme „Erlebnis Bühne“.

The month concludes with Michael Schade’s song matinee on 24 May, also at Stift Melk. Under the title “Falling in love, loving and letting go,” he and André Ferreira (Renaissance lute, theorbo & Biedermeier guitar), Christoph Hammer (harpsichord & fortepiano), and Serge Falck (recitation) weave a musical-literary journey from the Renaissance to the Romantic era. Works by Dowland, J.S. Bach, Mozart, and Schubert enter into a layered dialogue with texts by Shakespeare and Goethe.

With this varied concert series, Michael Schade once again presents himself as a sensitive artist working at the intersection of historical performance practice, oratorio, and the art of song.