Born in Innsbruck, the Alto gained his first musical experiences as a chorister for the Wiltener Sängerknaben, where he was the alto soloist in many concerts and tours. Markus Forster was educated at the University “Mozarteum” (concert diploma with special honours in 1995) and then at the University for Music and Arts in Vienna with Helene Karusso and in the class for Lied and Oratorio of Walter Moore. In addition he visited master courses with Kurt Widmer and Paul Eswood.
The soft timbre of his alto voice makes this singer a soloist much in demand for the great Oratorios and Passions of Bach and Händel. This concert practise leads him to Portugal (St. Martin-in-the-Fields), the Centre for Arts and Congress Luzern, to the Concertgebouw and the Westerkerk Amsterdam.
Markus Forster regularly works with renowned ensembles like the Clemencic Consort, the Unicorn Ensemble, Musica Florea Prag, Capriccio Basel, German Händel Soloists, Musica Aeterna Bratislava, Ars Antiqua Austria and the Orfeo Baroque Orchestra in many European countries. Numerous radio and CD recordings are documents of this work. His solo work is equally extensive and lead him to a solo concert tour to Israel, to the Wiener Musikverein, the Palau de la música (Barcelona), the Imperial Residence in Innsbruck, the Teatro Carlo Felice (Genua), the Philharmonie Bratislava and to the das Auditorio nacional de música (Madrid).
The Alto is a favoured guest at international music festivals like the Stockholm Early Music Festival, the Kyburgiade (Switzerland), the Carinthian Summer, the Festival of Ancient Music Krieglach, the Salzburger Mozartwochen, the Styriarte, or Festvial of Ancient Music in Herne. Beneath his broad concert repertoire, Markus Forster is also dedicated to the wonderful world of the opera.
After his debut on the stage with Monteverdi’s „L’incoronazione di Poppea“ in the Schlosstheater Schönbrunn , the title role in Gluck’s „Orfeo ed Euridice“ followed in Regensburg in 1997, and, one year later, the part of Ottone in Händel’s „Agrippina“. In summer 1999 he enchanted the audience as „Platée“ in the the Rameau’s opera of the same name. From 1999 to 2001 Markus Forster got a guest contract at the Badische
Staatstheater Karlsruhe, where he was successful as Erminio in Scarlatti’s „The Triumph of Honours“ within the Händel Festival.
Another guest contract lead the Altus to the theatre in Ulm in 2003, where he sang Joad in Händel’s „Athalia“. After a production of Gluck’s “Le Cenesi” in Damtschach in summer 2003, the latest opera project of the countertenor was the title role in “Ascanio” by A. Lotti at the Schauspielhaus Leipzig as well as at the Marktgräflichen Opernhaus Bayreuth.
Photogallery
