For his portrayal of WOWA in Schnittke’s “Das Leben mit einem Idioten” at the Gießen Theatre, Bernd Könnes was nominated BEST SINGER by the German Opera Magazine Opernwelt.

Recently, Bernd Könnes was engaged at the Neubrandenburg - Neustrelitz Theatre, where he could be seen with a vast repertoire, including such roles as CANIO in “I Pagliacci”, GUNTHER in “Die Feen”, JIM MAHONEY in "Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny”, TORQUEMADA in Ravel’s “L’heure Espagnole”, EISENSTEIN in “Die Fledermaus” or MAX in “Der Freischütz”, but also the 4 SERVANTS in “Hoffmann’s Erzählungen”, COUNT FERRY in “Victoria und ihr Husar” or JOSEF in “Wiener Blut”, MONOSTATOS in “Die Zauberflöte”, der ALFRED DOOLITTLE in “My Fair Lady”, der BARON ZETA in”Die lustige Witwe”, and VANDERGELDER in “Hello Dolly”.

At the Dresden State Operetta Bernd Könnes elaborated more than 35 parts also of the light musical entertainment, which he knew how to refine due to his recitative and acting skills like FRITZ and PRINCE PAUL in “Die Großherzogin von Gerolstein” and his parade roles of the WITCH (in Hänsel und Gretel) and BLUEBEARD (Offenbach).
Besides, in the past two years he enjoyed huge success as a guest singer at the Görlitz Theatre with his interpretation of the WITCH.

In 2011 he experienced buffo and character tenor portrayed the title part in Offenbach’s BLUEBEARD also at the Dortmund Theatre. Lately, he had guest performances as SOLOMIN in the world premiere production of Gerhard Stäbler’s “Madame la Peste” and as FRANZ in “Hoffman’s Erzählungen” at the Saarbrücken State Theatre. Moreover, he had guest performances in Schnittke’s “Das Leben mit einem Idioten” at the Wuppertal Theatre. At the Koblenz Theatre he succeeded in 2010 as a POLICE INSPECTOR in Schostakowitsch’ “The Nose”.

Under the musical direction of Hans Vonk, Bernd Könnes sang MISSAIL and the 1st BOJAR (in Boris Godunow) in Enschede and Groningen. Further guest engagements brought him a.o. as FRITZ (in Die Großherzogin von Gerolstein) to the Münster City Theatre, as WENZEL (in The Bartered Bride) to the Eutin Festival, to the Heidelberg Castle Festival and to the Schwetzingen Festival.

Before, Bernd Könnes had a permanent engagement at the Kaiserslautern Theatre, where he portrayed DAVID (in Die Meistersinger zu Nürnberg), JACQUINO, PEDRILLO, DON BASILIO, STEUERMANN, MELOT, MESSAGERO, GORO, BORSA, OTTOKAR, but also the FIRST STRANGER (in Der Vetter aus Dingsda).

Bernd Könnes has worked with such renowned conductors as Stefan Blunier, Helmuth Froschauer, Florian Ludwig, Daniel Raiskin, Constantin Trinks, Hans Vonk and producers like Adriana Altaras, John Dew, Klaus Dieter Kirst, Jasmin Solfaghari and Wolf Widder.

Moreover, the artist had guest performances at the Dresden Semper Opera in Stephen Oliver's “Mario und der Zauberer” and at the Hagen Theatre in the German premiere of the opera “Dancer in the Dark”.