Andrew Haji

Canadian tenor Andrew Haji is one of the most sought-after voices on both the operatic and concert stages across North America and Europe. Recent highlights include his debut at the Edinburgh International Festival as Jonathan in Handel’s Saul, Beethoven’s Ninth with the Milwaukee Symphony, and a program of Bach Cantatas with both l’Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and Boston’s prestigious Handel + Haydn Society. This spring, Andrew returns to the National Arts Centre in Ottawa for Mozart’s Don Giovanni, l’Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal for Haydn’s Creation, and debuts at the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Taiwan) with the Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra as Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore.

Andrew looks forward to upcoming engagements with Chorus Niagara (Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis), the Victoria Symphony (Mozart’s Requiem), and returns to Calgary Opera (Verdi’s MacBeth) and Orchestra St. Luke’s. Other recent engagements include Mozart’s Requiem for Orchestra St. Luke’s, Les Violons du Roy, and National Arts Centre; Handel’s Messiah with the Houston Symphony and the National Arts Centre; La bohème with Edmonton Opera and Orchestre Philharmonique et Cœur des Mélomanes, La traviata with Calgary Opera and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony,; Beethoven’s Ninth with the Victoria Symphony; Bach’s B Minor Mass with the Elora Festival; and a series of Bach cantatas with Les Violons du Roy.

Andrew’s 20/21 season pivoted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and saw him star in various digital and streaming productions. This included starring as Satyavan in Against the Grain’s acclaimed digital production of Holst’s Sāvitri. Haji also performed as the tenor soloist in the digital Mozart’s Requiem for the Canadian Opera Company, and appeared as Rinuccio in the company’s streamed production of Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. When live performances returned, he took to the stage for Opéra de Québec’s Barber of Seville, reprising the role of Count Almaviva.

Haji’s 2019/20 season began with Alfredo in La traviata for Vancouver Opera, followed by Messiah for the Edmonton Symphony, Pollione in Norma for Calgary Opera, Rossini’s Stabat Mater with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 for the Victoria Symphony. Appearances during the 2018/2019 season included Rodolfo in La bohème and Cassio in Otello for the Canadian Opera Company (COC), Bach’s Mass in B minor for the Amadeus Choir, and Alfredo in Die Fledermaus for Saskatoon Opera.

In 2017/2018, the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern winner was heard as Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore in Toronto for the COC and for Vancouver Opera, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 for the Toronto Symphony, Messiah for the Grand Philharmonic Choir of Kitchener-Waterloo, and the opening night gala at the Elora Festival. Haji is an alumnus of the COC Ensemble Studio and has also been heard at the Four Seasons Centre as Alfredo in La traviata and Tamino in Die Zauberflöte. During his time as a member of the Ensemble Studio, his leading roles included Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia and Ferrando in Così fan tutte. The Salzburg Festival featured Haji in its production of Donizetti’s Lucrezia Borgia, his festival debut. For the Wexford Festival he starred as Hélios in Félicien David’s Herculanum and for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, as Rodolfo in Puccini’s La bohème.

A native-born Ontarian, he has received awards from the Marilyn Horne Song Competition, the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble, and was the winner of the Grand Prix at the 50th International Vocal Competition in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and the Montreal International Music Competition’s Oratorio Prize.