Jochen
Schmeckenbecher Baritone

Baritone Jochen Schmeckenbecher hails from Hockenheim and studied with Kurt Moll at Musikhochschule in Cologne. After permanent engagements at Theater Hagen and Komische Oper Berlin, he has since performed on leading international opera and concert stages. Jochen's main focus is on the German-language repertoire with roles such as Kurwenal in ‹Tristan und Isolde›, Faninal in ‹der Rosenkavalier›, Orest in ‹Elektra› and the title role in ‹Wozzeck›. He has enjoyed particular success as Alberich in Wagner's ‹Ring des Nibelungen›, for example at the state opera houses in Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna, at the opera houses in Frankfurt and Leipzig, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Liceu in Barcelona, Tanglewood Festival, Berlin Philharmonie, Bastille in Paris and on several CD/DVD recordings. Since his role debut as the music teacher in ‹Ariadne auf Naxos› in 2010 at Wiener Staatsoper, he has been closely associated with this opera house and regularly sings roles there such as Amfortas and Klingsor, Frank in ‹die Fledermaus› and as the Speaker in ‹Die Zauberflöte›. Other engagements have taken him to the state opera houses in Dresden, Munich and Stuttgart, Opera National de Paris, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Met New York, La Scala Milan, Teatro Real Madrid and Theater an der Wien. Concerts have taken Jochen to Konzerthaus and Musikverein Wien, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Philharmonie Berlin, Royal Festival Hall London and Paris Philharmonie, among others.