October 22, 2026
Six questions for Äneas Humm | six answers
The Swiss baritone is deeply passionate about opera and the art song repertoire, as well as about his guests on his own podcast, ‘Klassik Doppio’. We asked Äneas Humm six questions.
We’d hoped for four replies, but we received far more:
Why are you doing what you are doing, actually?
Äneas Humm: When someone from the audience comes up to me and says they were moved to tears because the music was so moving – that’s when I realise the reason behind the big ‘WHY’. This profession has so many downsides: your whole life is dictated by your voice and the concert calendar. But when you realise that people are moved, you understand the ‘why’ all over again.
Which two pieces of music would you recommend to someone who knows absolutely nothing about classical music?
Äneas Humm: It may sound a bit clichéd, but Mozart’s A Little Night Music and Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony are the perfect works to introduce you to the world of classical music. They are full of vitality.
What was the last musical experience that made you cry?
Äneas Humm: Music makes me cry quite regularly, especially when I’m sitting in a concert and can just sit back and enjoy it. I particularly remember the first time I cried because of music: I was at my Aunt Kuki Ruppenthal’s funeral in Budapest. She was a huge Sting fan, so his music was playing all over the cemetery. The song ‘Shape of My Heart’ – I’ve hardly been able to listen to it since. She was a unique person, and I’ll always associate that song with her.
What annoys you about the classical music industry?
Äneas Humm: ‘Classical fabric softener’. That’s my term for the programme selection in many classical music programmes on TV. The audience is always presented with the same works: Beethoven’s Fifth, The Magic Flute, La Traviata and, if we’re feeling particularly bold, perhaps a Richard Strauss piece – but at most just an excerpt. Do we really have so little confidence in ourselves? What would Mahler, Puccini or Bach say if they could see the resources we have today, and how little use we make of them?
What concert ritual could you absolutely not do without?
Äneas Humm: In the afternoon, I need some peace and quiet. If anything gets in the way of my siesta and the coffee afterwards, I become very unsettled and don’t feel able to get through the evening properly. A ski racer needs this peace and quiet too. They run through the course in their heads before hurtling down the mountain. I try to bring this kind of focus into my work.
What do you appreciate most about your fellow ensemble members?
Äneas Humm: The work never stops – there are evenings when I’m sitting at a score until 2.00 am, listening to the rehearsal and thinking about what I could do better. Then, late at night, I text my colleagues, and that doesn’t always go down well. But then I also think: just put your mobiles on silent at night…
