Neopera biography
Neopera is a symphonic metal band from Hamburg, Germany, founded by "Dark Age" guitarist Jörn Schubert with the desire to combine classical music and metal. The band recorded their first demo "Destined Ways" with the first lineup and under producer Eike Freese (Dark Age, Hammer Studios). The lineup consisted of the following musicians: Nina Jiers (vocals), Thorsten Schuck (vocals), Mirko Gluschke (shouts) Dirk Schlächter (gamma ray/bass). Corvin Bahn (gamma ray/keyboards, orchestration), André Schumann (Dark Age/drums) and Guiomar Espineira (flute) also helped with the recording of the demo. After the demo was well received, a record deal was signed with the label earMusic, under which the album "Destined Ways" was released internationally in 2014. This was followed by an appearance at the Wacken Open Air and numerous concerts throughout Germany. Due to health problems of the guitarist Jörn Schubert at the time, the band took a break.
In 2020 another EP was released with "In Memoriam", which is an acoustic version of the album "Destined Ways". In 2019 the band started from the beginning with a new line-up and was working on new song ideas. Since Schubert is further restricted after medical treatment, he now concentrates exclusively on the composition of the songs. As a first result, the band released a new single in 2020 with "An Eternal Night". A corresponding music video followed, as well as another single “Verge of War” in 2021. As a result of the covid period the band recorded the EP "Tuba Mirum". The current line-up consists of: Jasmin Gajewski (vocals), Thorsten Schuck (vocals), Denis Filimonov (shouts/bass), Vic Mussolino (rhythm guitar), Frank Sawade (lead guitar), Florian Karbaum (drums) and Jörn Schubert (composer).
Jasmin Gajewski
Jasmin Gajewski started singing at the age of seven. Since then music has accompanied her throughout her life. She studied classical singing in Hamburg, won the Franz Grothe Prize and is currently giving concerts in the church sector as well as in the genres operetta, musical and 20s / 30s music. Jasmin Gajewski and Thorsten Schuck already crossed paths during their studies. For a few years the two sang in the ensemble "Die Saenger.com". Last year they entered the wedding world with the duo "Rose & Champagne" and now they are on stage with the symphonic metal band "Neopera"
Thorsten Schuck
Thorsten Schuck studied classical singing in Hamburg in the class of Jale Papila and graduated with an additional pedagogical qualification. Since then he works as a vocal coach and soloist in different projects. Besides classical concerts in the area of oratory he covers a wide area of genres in his own projects: Jazz (Mr. Schuck & The Silent Seducers), Symphonic Metal (Neopera) and also operetta and musical (Rose & Champagne).
Vic Mussolino
After completed the guitar, improvisation and composition studies at the Yamaha school with the master Nino Cavallaro, I joined the project Jumpscare (Melodic Death Metal) in November 2015.
In 2016 I started to collaborate with “Live To Rock” as staff member to organise live events, press releases and other project related things.
In 2017 I was involved in the composition of “Body Talk” with the band Mastribes, produced at SDM Recording Studio with Seb Di Martino. In the same year we toured with L.A. Guns. Mastribes was the official opener at Circolo Colony in Brescia (North of Italy).
For all 2017, Jumpscare toured across Italy and shared the stage with some importants acts as Edu Falaschi (Angra), Giacomo Voli (Rhapsody Of Fire), DGM, Teodasia, Secretsphere, Arthemis, Despite Exile etc. We played in the best venues of Italy as e.g., Legend Club of Milan.
In September 2018 “Live To Rock” evolved in Impatto Rock Agency.
2019 I was involved in the recording session of the first Jumpscare album at Sonitus Studio of Crema with the producer Tommaso Monticelli (Genus Ordinis Dei).
Jörn Schubert
Jörn Schubert, born on 05.10.1977 in Hamburg, started making music in his childhood. Already in elementary school he composed his first songs. What started out on old pots and self-made tin drums quickly became increasingly professional. At the age of just 7 he got his first piano lessons and at 11 he had his first lessons on the acoustic guitar. One year later, Jörn continued on his first electric guitar, which he got for Christmas: A metallic-red "Hohner SL-305-G". Since then he has never put the guitar down. In the following years Jörn got lessons on the electric guitar as well as on the classical acoustic guitar. Jörn founded his first band Dragon Slayer, later Annihilation of Power, in the early 90s with Simon Börner and Nils Kolonko. A CD with the title "Changes" was released. From 1997 on Jörn played in the band Dark Age as lead guitarist. Until 2013 he stood on stage for countless concerts and also released 9 albums with the band. In the year 2000 Jörn was also guitarist with Holy Moses for a short time. He worked on the EP "Master of Disaster" and also played a handful of concerts with Holy Moses. In 2010 Jörn finally started to realize his personal musician's dream of mixing metal with classical influences and started his own project. Inspired by Yngwie Malmsteen, Nightwish, Rhapsody of Fire and Blind Guardian to Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse, Nevermore, Dark Age and Entombed, as well as Mozart, Beethoven, Händel, Mendelssohn Bartholdy and Franz Schubert, Jörn's compositions began to take shape. Neopera saw the light of the music world and in 2011 a first demo EP was recorded in the Hammerstudio, in collaboration with producer Eike Freese. A record deal with earMusic/a Project of Edel and the longplayer "Destined Ways" followed. During the recordings for "Destined Ways", the stroke of fate that changed Joern's musical life fundamentally occurred: Due to a focal muscular dystonia in his left hand, it suddenly became almost impossible for Joern to continue playing guitar at the old familiar level. With severe cramps in his left hand, he still played some concerts with Neopera and recorded a live acoustic EP with two new studio songs. Afterwards, however, a longer break followed, because Jörn questioned his status as a musician due to the physical limitations. Only in 2019, after a long and intensive examination of his own situation and also with a redesign of the Neopera concept as well as a largely new band composition, a new attempt with Neopera should be undertaken. Although Jörn is now exclusively active as a composer, he remains the heart of the band. For live activities, despite long therapy, dexterity is not enough.
