College of Music

Bass-baritone 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 Bach’s St..Matthew Passion, the Chicago Classical Review said Stephen Morscheck, brought an authoritative bass-baritone to Jesus, singing with dignified strength and expressive restraint. Even while sitting silently for long periods, Morscheck communicated an apt calm and peace.

In the 2010-2011 season, he performs Capulet in Roméo et Juliette at the Dallas Opera, Jesus in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion at Festival de Saint-Denis and at St. Vincent de Paul at DePaul University, Handel’s Messiah with the Santa Fe Symphony, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy and Symphony No. 9 with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Roanoke Symphony and the Alabama Symphony, and Mozart’s Requiem with the Sheboygan Symphony.

In the 2009-2010 season, engagements included Sparafucile in Rigoletto at the Florentine Opera, Don Alphonso in Cosi Fan Tutte with Arizona Opera, Il Ré in Ariodante at the Princeton Festival, Kecal in Smetana’s Prodaná nevešta (The Bartered Bride) in Czech at the University of North Texas, Mozart’s Requiem with Music of the Baroque, Handel’s Messiah with the Dallas Bach Society, Mozart’s Coronation Mass at the Spoleto Festival, Verdi’s Requiem with the University of North Texas, Beethoven's Missa Solemnis with the Choral Society of Durham, and Bach’s B Minor Mass with the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica in San Jose.

In the 2008-2009 season, performances included Rocco in Fidelio at Opera Company of Philadelphia, Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro with Dallas Opera, Alidoro in La Cenerentola with Orlando Opera, Beethoven’s 9th Symphonywith the National Symphony Orchestra in Santo Domingo, the title role inHercules with Music of the Baroque, and Le Chiffonnier in Louise in a return to the Spoleto Festival USA, where he previously performed John Adams inAmistad during the summer 2008.

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, St. Matthew Passion with the L’Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Arizona Opera, Handel’s Messiah with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Duke Chapel Choir, and soloist in the Atlanta Operagala. 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, St. John Passion with the L’Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Mozart Requiem with the Eastern Connecticut Symphony, VerdiRequiem 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 in 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 Cenerentolawith the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Florentine Opera.

Mr. Morscheck has also been active in recitals and oratorios. Among his repertoire are Mozart's Requiem and Mass in C Minor, Bach's B Minor Mass, Magnificat, and St. Matthew Passion, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Mendelsshon’s Elijah, Handel’s Messiah and Judas Maccabaeus, Rossini'sStabat Mater, Haydn’s The Seasons and Teresian Mass, 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.

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.”