A countertenor engaged in the opera scene of the 21st century

Sean Haid is setting the standard for countertenors in the 21st century. Recognised for his thoughtful musical and dramatic commitment, Sean is active on stages across North America and Europe. He can be seen performing with companies including the Canadian Opera Company, the Dutch National Opera, l’Orchestre Métropolitain, Edmonton Opera, and the Neumeyer Consort.

Busy curating a meaningful career, Sean aims to highlight both contemporary and modern repertoire for countertenor. In early music, Sean has performed Handel’s Belshazzar in Frankfurt with the Neumeyer Consort, Handel’s Alcina with Paul Goodwin (Mainz), Bononcini cantatas with Alessandro de Marchi, the revival performances of works by Gregor Joseph Werner with György Vashegyi,  Membra Jesu Nostri with Staatskappelle Köpernick (Berlin) and Ensemble Vocale Vivace (Montréal), and Purcell’s Hail, Bright Cecilia with Lionel Meunier on tour in the Netherlands. In 2023, Sean pioneered Tulipes baroques, a Canadian tour of lesser-known 17th-century Dutch repertoire. 

Passionate about contemporary repertoire, Sean has sung in numerous world premieres. At the Dutch National Opera, Sean premiered the new solo opera AER as well as Tu me manques in collaboration with the Dutch National Ballet. At the Muziekgebouw aan’t IJ Sean performed Harrison Birtwistle’s Orpheus Elegies. In Canada, Sean is active in the development of new operas and has worked with the Canadian Opera Company, Yukon Arts Centre, Klondike Institute of Arts & Culture, Banff Centre, Musique 3 Femmes, and Tapestry Opera. Additional highlights include Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges with Ed Spanjaard and Carmina Burana with l’Orchestre Métropolitain and het Studentenkoor Amsterdam. 

Active as a curator of new programmes, Sean produced two seasons of concerts with the Muziekgebouw aan’t IJ (Amsterdam) with the series Echoes of Nothing. With his trio Amantis Aurem, he presented Seven Shades of Love at the Tuvāk Zvaignēm Festival (Nurmiži, Latvia), Opera aan Zee Festival (Noordwijk aan Zee, Netherlands), and the Pianola Museum (Amsterdam). 

Recipient of awards from the Canada Council for the Arts, Calgary Arts Development, Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor Kunst Talent Grant, Hochschule für Musik Mainz, and the Ben and Phyllis Shapiro Award.