In 2022, the German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung gave the following enthusiastic presentation of Aco Bišćević: “Phenomenal singing and playing: the Slovenian Aco Bišćević. He is a great so-called haut-contre, i.e. a very high, elegant French tenor. He filled his role wonderfully with an immensely soft, flexible and exquisitely beautiful voice”. And another recent presentation by Operawire, in addition: “The star of the evening’s performance was undoubtedly the Slovenian tenor, Aco Bišćević, not least for his ability to sing in some very uncomfortable situations. He has a high-lying tenor, which he used to great effect in his portrayal of Orphée, and was perfectly suited, both physically and vocally, to the role. His voice possesses a sweet light tone, which glided through the score, and his phrasing of the accompanied recitatives was smooth and accomplished.”
Aco Bišćević made his opera debut in 2014 as Mercure in Rameau’s Castor et Pollux at the Komische Oper Berlin in a staging by Barrie Kosky. In 2017 he made his acclaimed debut in the demanding role of Orpheus in the French version of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice at the Tiroler Landestheater in Innsbruck. He has however performed in theaters and festivals all over Europe, including the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, the Festival Trame Sonore in Mantua, the Bach Festival in Lausanne, the Festival Styriarte in Graz, the Salzburg Festival and collaborated with conductors such as Christopher Curney, Vittorio Ghielmi, Reinhard Goebel, Theodor Guschlbauer, Michael Hofstetter, Gérard Korsten, Váklav Luks, Ingo Metzmacher, Federico Maria Sardelli, Jordi Savall, amongst others.
His plans for 2023/24 include Gluck’s La Clemenza di Tito (title-role) at the Gluck Festival in Bayreuth, Galuppi’s La caduto di Adamo (title-role) with the Helsinki Baroque Orchestra in Helsinki and at the MusikTheater an der Wien as well as L’italiana in Algeri (Lindoro) at the Ljubljana Opera.
Aco Bišćević has recently taken part in a recording of Cavalli’s Il Xerse (role of Elviro) at the Festival della Valle d'Itria in Martina Franca with Federico Maria Sardelli conducting. Already released on DVD (label Dynamic) it will soon be published on CD (Naxos) as well. He has also recorded so far unreleased, highly virtuosic cantatas for high tenor by Carl Heinrich Graun with the Baroque Orchestra of the Thuringia Philharmonie - Michael Hofstetter conducting (to be released in January 2024 (label Accent).
According to historical practice, Aco Bišćević often performs recitals accompanied by the piano or fortepiano. Being an equally accomplished pianist, he also very much enjoys accompanying himself.
September 2023