Baritone
Birger Radde

Reviews
On Stage
Interviews


  BIOGRAPHY  

 

In the season 2024/25 Birger Radde portrays WOZZECK at the Royal Opera Stockholm, MARCEL PROUST in “Life With An Idiot” at the Zurich Opera House, the HEERRUFER in “Lohengrin” at the Semperoper Dresden and KURWENAL in “Tristan und Isolde” at de Opéra de Liège. He sings Mahler’s 8th SYMPHONY in the Glocke Bremen.

In summer 2024 Birger Radde enjoyed huge success as GUNTHER in Götterdämmerung at the Wagner-Days-Budapest and he will return to this Festival in 2026.
He made his debut at the Bayreuth Festival as MELOT in the new production “Tristan und Isolde” and sang here the traditional open air concerts.

In 2023 Birger Radde made his spectacular debut as WOZZECK at the Vienna State Opera under the musical direction of Philippe Jordan. Before, he made a strong impression in this very role at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo and at the Karlsruhe State Theatre.

In 2023/24 he made his successful debut as JOCHANAAN in a new production at the Janacek Opera Brno, as DR FALKE in “Die Fledermaus” at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, as DONNER in “Rheingold” and GUNTHER in “Götterdämmerung” at the Wiesbaden State Theatre. He also sang Haydn’s VIER JAHRESZEITEN at the Temporada in Pamplona.

Further engagements brought the German baritone recently in the role of DON FERNANDO in “Fidelio” to the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under the musical direction of Mo. Zubin Mehta and to the Opéra de Nice. He enthralled as DON GIOVANNI at the International May Festival Wiesbaden, as WOLFRAM in “Tannhäuser” at the Heidenheim Festival, in Modena and Reggio Emilia and at the Teatro Petruzelli Bari and as FANINAL in “Der Rosenkavalier” in at the Felsenreitschule Salzburg.

In 2019 the German baritone was nominated Rising Young Singer of the Year by the German opera magazine „Opernwelt“ in its critics survey, because of his "ravishingly beautiful, career worthy cavalier baritone “. In 2020 he was nominated best Singer of the Year for his interpretation of DON GIOVANNI.

Birger Radde also succeeded as DON GIOVANNI, CONTE in „Le nozze di Figaro“, PAPAGENO in „Die Zauberflöte“, EISENSTEIN in „Die Fledermaus“, TAMER/ATHLET in „Lulu“, FRANK/FRITZ in „Die tote Stadt“, RENATO in „Un ballo in maschera“, ENRICO ASHTON in „Lucia di Lammermoor” ……at the Bremen Theatre .

Guest performances brought him as EUGEN ONEGIN to the Weimar National Theatre, as Montiverdi’s ORFEO to the Norfolk Chamber Music, to the Opera House Leipzig, the Bucharest Opera, the Kiel Theatre and the Opera Festival Miskolc/ Hungary and in 2021 as DON GIOVANNI to the Pforzheim Theatre.

Birger Radde works with such renowned conductors and producers as Zubin Mehta, Philippe Jordan, Ádám Fischer, Semjon Bytschkow, Nathalie Stutzmann, Alan Gilbert, Yoel Gamzou, Marco Letonja, Cesare Lievi, Roland Schwab, Tatiana Gürbaca, Kirill Serebrennikov,…

As Prize Winner of the “Castle Rheinsberg Chamber Opera" Competition in 2009 he performed the role of Tarquinius in B. Britten’s "The rape of Lucretia" .

The Northern-Germany-born singer graduated at the Conservatories of Dresden and Leipzig and at the renowned Yale University in the USA. He completed his musical studies with master classes with Richard Miller, Christian Gerhaher and Peter Schreier. At present Birger Radde is being coached by the Italian baritone Gianni Maffeo. The singer had his first stage experiences in an engagement at the theatres of Hof (2012 - 2015) and Münster (2016/17).

Apart from his operatic activities, the baritone regularly performs in concerts on international stages He has a broad repertoire of Lieder and Oratoria (a.o. Bach’s Passions, F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’s Elias or Brahms’ Requiem).
He gave Liederabende at the Accademia di S. Cecilia/Rom, the Ateneo Veneto/Venice, the German House New York/USA or the Liederhalle Stuttgart.

His collaboration with such conductors as Helmuth Rilling, Marc Albrecht, Frank Ollu, Attilio Cremonesi and Stephen Layton and the Academy for Ancient Music Berlin, the Modern Ensemble and the Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig brought him to such important concert halls as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Gewandhaus Leipzig, Singel/ Antwerp and the BOZAR/Brussels.

 

 
 
REVIEWS
 
Königliche Oper Stockholm – Wozzeck - WOZZECK
Musically nothing is missing, not even in our Swedish baritone star. Because with honor and expressive vocal brilliance the young German Birger Radde threw himself into the complicated scenery.
svt NYHETER
svt.se
Opernhaus Zürich – Das Lebven mit einem Idioten – MARCEL PROUST
Finally Marcel Proust in person enters the stage: Birger Radde gives a wonderfully dandy-like portrayal.
Der Opernfreund
deropernfreund.de
Festspiele Bayreuth – Tristan und Isolde - MELOT
Birger Radde is a baritonal Melot who sings his accusation in a very determined dark way.
Online Merker / Frideon Rosen
onlinemerker.com
Birger Radde as Melot recommended himself here for larger roles. …
DAS OPERNGLAS 09/2024, S. Mauß
Vocally and as an actor Birger Radde was an outstanding Melot, who in future certainly will deliver even bigger performances in Bayreuth and elsewhere.
Online Merker / Klaus Billand
onlinemerker.com
Bass baritone Birger Radde, in black pants and a fancy black shirt, flashed impressively on-stage in the Acts II and III finales.
Opera Today
operatoday.com
The portrayals of all the minor parts were outstanding and strong: Birger Radde as Melot, Daniel Jenz as shepherd….
Concerti
concerti.de
Birger Radde as Melot ….and also Daniel Jenz as shepherd ….are a reason for joy. .
Neue Musikzeitung
nmz.de
...and Birger Radde as Melotare a perfect cast.
Musik Heute
musik-heute.de
Birger Radde’s Melot pointed considerable quality for future engagements.
Online Merker
onlinemerker.com
Wagner-Days-Budapest / Palace of Arts - Der Ring des Nibelungen - Gunther
And also the slender, noble looking Gunther (Birger Radde) with his totally effortlessly beautiful sounding baritone voice.
DER NEUE MERKER, 07/2024 – Dr. Sieglinde Pfabigan
Navarra Symphony Orchestra/Barcelona Auditorium – Die Jahreszeiten von Haydn
By way of a moral, the stupendous baritone Birger Radde sings, at the end of the long account of Haydn's Seasons: ‘Foolish man, the seasons of the year are like your life’, i.e. youth is withering, strength is spent, the autumn of age is withering, and the pale winter already shows the open grave. …/…The presentation of the soloists in the first recitative was superb, each demonstrating that they were in the oratorio style:…. and Birger Radde, with undisputed vocal authority. …/… And Birger Radde has a quality voice: with homogeneity throughout his scale, and a low timbre, which is appreciated.
noticias de Navarra
noticiasdenavarra.com
But what made the difference was the performance of the trio of soloists. .../... But perhaps the most surprising was Birger Radde's resounding voice, who offered that rustic and hardened character of Simon's role just through his singing.
Diario de Navarra, Xavier Armendáriz, 8 de Junio 2024
Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden – Götterdämmerung GUNTHER/ Rheingold DONNER
Birger Radde is Gunther (Götterdämmerung), the leader of the Gibichungen, and Donner (Rheingold), the god of violence and of rage. His profound, charismatic baritone voice is impressive and of a special brilliance. As an actor he convinces by his spirited play. He makes his vocal versatility bloom. Effortlessly, his voice slides through the registers.
IOCO
ioco.de
Gunther is vocally exactly and carried sung by Birger Radde. He is the ideal cast for the role of Gunther and the great surprise of the evening. Here, we have a powerful Gunther, who in his acting and vocally always prevails in the interaction with Hagen. His full-bodied and extremely carrying voice plays with the tonal colors and he succeeds in making his development audible right until the end.
Facebook Richard Wagner Opern -live
Theater Bremen - Don Giovanni - DON GIOVANNI
Birger Radde makes a major achievement in the title role, especially because his portrayal has a certain inscrutability and because his vigorous baritone voice not only expresses grandezza and brilliance but also the world of dust and dirt.
Opernwelt 12/2019
Janáček-Theater Brno - Salome - JOCHANAAN
Baritone Birger Radde created a strong impression as the intolerant and intense Jochanaan, successfully capturing the certainty and fervor of his faith. His voice possesses an attractive timber. It is secure, firm and well-grounded, and when singing from his imprisonment in the cistern, he was able to project his voice so that it rang out, his authoritative and defiant tone echoing resonantly across the stage. When Salome demanded to see him, he was defiant and dismissive, barely even bothering to look at her, coating his voice with scorn and contempt to the point that his disgust for her was palpable; not that this bothered Salome, who became more entranced by him.
Opera Wire
operawire.com
The young German baritone Birger Radde, who is at the beginning of his world career impresses in the role of Jochanaan with a „voice like a thurible“: masculine and full of metallic character.
Dana Herzowa, Der neue Merker 07/2023
Though his artistic biography is already quite wide-ranging, I only discovered the German Birger Radde (Jochanaan) in April this year as he portrayed the title part in „Wozzeck“ at the Vienna State Opera. Radde has a solid, nobly colored , technically concentrated voice, that sounds resonant both on stage and from the subtly sound-proved orchestra-pit. Birger Radde is the ideal cast for the role, both vocally and as a type.
Opera Slovakia
operaslovakia.sk
Contrary to Ballová, Birger Radde as Jochanaan sang the major part of his role off stage, yet he had no difficulties at all to fill the entire hall with his voice. Some of his zombie-like, B-movie movements, which emerged after his appearance on stage, could have seem rather ridiculous ; yet they perfectly fitted in the overall concept and emphasized the absurdity of the action. The key dialogue, in which Salome tries in vain to seduce Jochanaan, was one of the dramatical and vocal highlightd of the entire performance.
Opera+
operaplus.cz
Teatro Petruzzelli Bari – Tannhäuser – WOLFRAM VON ESCHENBACH
...especially Birger Radde in the role of Wolfram von Eschenbach, is particularly worth mentioning. He succeeded is interpreting the role so touchingly, the audience felt a shiver down its spine (sein Lied an den Abendstern in the final act was a true anthology).
Cirano Post
ciranopost.com
Staatsoper Wien - Wozzeck - WOZZECK
One man’s tragedy can be another man’s chance. As Martin Kränzle, being indisposed because of a cold, had to cancel was his performances in his role debut at the Vienna State Opera, Birger Radde jumped in on short notice. Probably his name wasn’t much known among opera friends in Austria ( except maybe in Salzburg, where already sung). But as he had some spare time after the premiere of “Wozzeck” (23th of March) in Karlsruhe, he took his chance and was able to celebrate an unexpected debut at the Vienna State Opera, leaving an extremely positive impression. Although he had but little time to rehearse , he dind’t just impeccably fit in scenically in the production, also his voice proved to be virile and stable. Even the few lyrical passages were sung with beautiful legato and his outstanding diction was particularly worth mentioning.
Der Neue Merker 05/23, Wolfgang Habermann, Vorstellung 1.4.2023
In focus among the singers was the German baritone Birger Radde in the title role – a sympathetic “Feschak”, whom maybe lacks a bit the rebellion against abuse. Anyway, a promising new encounter with a Wagner singer of a new kind.
Der neue Merker 05/23 , Peter Dusek, Vorstellung 5.4.2023
Theater Karlsruhe - Wozzeck - WOZZECK
In Birger Radde they have found an excellent singer for the title part, whose career is just beginning to take off. The baritone, who was born in Demmin, has a broad repertoire, but hasn’t yet committed himself to a specific repertoire. He really ought to retain this flexibility in choosing his roles. After his celebrated interpretation of Don Giovanni in Bremen and an outstanding performance as Wolfram at last year’s Heidenheim Festival, he confirmed his promising development with a Wozzeck in Karlsruhe, which truly set new standards. With great text comprehensibility, he vocally smartly performed the character. With precise Lied interpretation, emphasizing substantial accents with a considerable dramatical force, he presented his enormous vocal possibilities with enticing perspectives.
Das Opernglas 5/ 2023, JMW
But above all because of the outstanding vocal achievements of the admirable ensemble it worked out without any restrictions. First and foremost because of Birger Radde’s noble, blue velvety baritone voice as the empathic force centre.
SWR
swr.de
Felsenreitschule Salzburg - Der Rosenkavalier - FANINAL
BIRGER RADDE convinces as a rather young-looking Faninal with his sweeping baritone voice.
Der Neue Merker, 12/22 Gottfried Franz Kasparek
BIRGER RADDE powerfully sings Faninal, resembling a night club’s owner.
OPERNGLAS 11/2022, H.C. Mayer
Birger Radde is very sovereign in the tricky high baritone part of her father Faninal.
NMZ
nmz.de
Teatro comunale di Modena – Tannhäuser – WOLFRAM VON ESCHENBACH
Birger Radde, Wolfram, however shines with musicality and technical mastery. The baritone impresses with his smoothness and flexibility, a perfectly rounded middle register and a secure and sounding upper register. His phrasing is always elegant and communicate a noble and aristocratic character. His wiry, lean stage presence gives this smart singer even more credibility.
Opera Libera
operalibera.net
The baritone Birger Radde had a magnificent voice, with an intense, severe, very noble singing without ever forcing ( his highlight was obviously the aria in the third act, where he presented seldom meditative depths);...
Roma
ilroma.net
Teatro Reggio Emilia – Tannhäuser – WOLFRAM VON ESCHENBACH
Wolfram von Eschenbach portrayed by Birger Radde, intense in the touching romance „O du mein holder Abendstern“, or as the minstrel tenderly and platonically in love with Elisabeth, comparing her with the evening star, presaging her approaching death...
Avanti!
avantionline.it
Of the utmost importance was Birger Radde‘s Wolfram von Eschenbach, who presented an elegant and impeccable singing line , proving to have a truly remarkable breath control, using it to sculp "O du, mein Holder Abendstern".
Opera Click
operaclick.com
Festspiele Heidenheim – Tannhäuser - WOLFRAM
Birger Radde is a noble and elegant Wolfram von Eschenbach.
Orpheus, Antje Rößler - Sept/Oct. 2022
Both for vocal reasons and because of his intense Text-penetration and his eloquent play, Birger Radde was the singer star of the evening. The young baritone from Northern Germany has a good stage presence and impressed as Wolfram von Eschenbach, strongest opponent in winning the favor of the Landgrave’s niece. His well-grounded voice fits perfectly and due to its elegant guidance it succeeds in declamatorily winning over the audience. As the evening star rose into the sky, just as the huge aria of the third act began, everything was just perfect.
DAS OPERNGLAS 9/2022 , J.-M.Wienecke
Birger Radde makes his debut as Wolfram with a magnificent Timbre and a “Abenstern” which gave the audience a veritable goose skin moment.
Bettina Schröm – Südkurier
PDF
Blessedly beautiful Birger Radde sings Wolfram. In the „Lied an den Abendstern“, one can truly hear a desperate farewell, matching the spirit of Liedgesang. A true highlight!
feuilletonscout
www.feuilletonscout.com
Excellent singers are Birger Radde as Wolfram…
Stuttgarter Nachrichten
PDF
This destruction of all hopes is vocally and dramatically portrayed in a most impressive way by… Birger Radde as highly besautifully voiced Wolfram.
Online Merker
www.onlinemerker.com
Birger Radde sings Wolfram with a powerful baritone voice and also scores with a strong overall clarity. His famous „Song to the Evening Star“ I equally is a musical highlight of the evening.
OMM
www.omm.de
Opéra de Monte Carlo – WOZZECK
The German baritone Birger Radde’s interpretation of the role of Franz Wozzeck portrays a hallucinated, flexible and striking character. This soldier with dark circles under his huge eyes, which look upon an inner life that has always been quite chaotic, has a bit of a Pierrot lunaire. Both his stature and his voice build a solid pillar, deeply rooted and yet able to sway under the force of his burden, of which he is the object and love, of which his is the subject. His timbre makes his entire vocal line passionate and gives it sharp colors, smoothly pervaded by the smallest emotional outbursts of detachment, which he knows how to capture and transmit.
Olyrix
www.olyrix.com
The same can be said of Birger Radde as Wozzeck , who is surprisingly authentic in the revival of his crazy, haggard, violent or antiqued character.
Forum Opera
www.forumopera.com
Artfully using his half voice with soft and tender vibes, Birger Radde pereforms a tormented but yet touching Wozzeck, in perfect balance between hallucinating madness and dedication.
Conessi all´Opera
www.connessiallopera.it
IOCO, Michael Stange, 04/11/2018
www.ioco.de
Theater Pforzheim - Don Giovanni - DON GIOVANNI
The way Birger Radde sings and plays , he makes clear that Don Giovanni is definitively going to be missed. With his appealingly virile baritone voice, Radde is perfect in the role of the cool, power-obsessed seducer in blue jeans, not only in the breathtaking speed of the coloratura-precise “champagne aria”. In the Kanzonetta he exposes the seducer’s other side, revealing his inmost being in an intimate moment with enchantingly harmonious and soft supplication.
BNN – Nikolaus Schmidt
Birger Radde (guest) is the undisputed center of the performance. With his robust baritone voice he performs the title role, turning it into an ideal, modern figure with vocal and acting authority. In the flattering serenade, the insistent courting duet with Zerlina or the “champagne aria” – a brilliant highlight of this performance – the singer always know how to convince both with his presence and his personality.
Pforzheimer Zeitung – Rainer Wolff
Theater Bremen – DON GIOVANNI (Oktober 2019)
The performance is dominated by the brilliant actor Birger Radde as the title heron Don Giovanni.
IOCO
www.ioco.de
But back to Radde and Heinrich: bot hof them brilliantly master their role. As Giovanni Radde had to do without a huge aria, though he has a lot to sing, which he does with a rich sounding baritone voice.
Weser Kurier
www.weser-kurier.de
Birger Radde in the title role accomplishes great things, because his acting contains the necessary abysmality and because he doesn’t just looks for grandezza and brilliance ( which he definitely possesses) but also for the dirt of the world.
Opernwelt 12/2019 Jürgen Otten
Theater Bremen - Die tote Stadt – FRANK (Juli 2019)
And then all of the sudden we indeed experience the magical moment of Pierrot's utopian ballade "Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen, es träumt sich zurück."
Opernwelt 07/2019
Theater Bremen - Un ballo in maschera – Renato
Birger Radde sings Renato with an Italian timbre and experienced vocal technique. From the dark, lower notes to the high and beaming, he connects the registers of his voice effortlessly with a beautiful, steady, and thrilling quality. You don’t hear such an excellent Renato very often.
IOCO, Michael Stange, 04/11/2018
www.ioco.de
Particularly worth mentioning is Birger Radde as Renato, whose charismatically beautiful voice is exceptionally thrilling.
NMZ
www.nmz.de
Theater Bremen - Lucia di Lammermoor - ENRICO
The baritone Birger Radde, was a passionate Enrico with a powerful and perfectly balanced vocal sound. The sinister and convincing interpretation of the role reminds one of the character Jago. Brillant!
Opernparadies 02/2018
 
ON STAGE
Wagner-Days-Budapest - Götterdämmerung - GUNTHER
 
Janáček-Theater Brno - Salome - JOCHANAAN
Photo: Marek Olbrzymek
 
Wiener Staatsoper – Wozzeck - WOZZECK
Photo: Wiener Staatsoper
 
Wiener Staatsoper – Wozzeck - WOZZECK
Photo: Wiener Staatsoper Vogel
 
Wiener Staatsoper – Wozzeck - WOZZECK
Photo: Wiener Staatsoper Vogel
 
Festival Heidenheim – Tannhäuser - WOLFRAM
Photo: Oliver Vogel
 
Festival Heidenheim – Tannhäuser - WOLFRAM
Photo: Oliver Vogel
 
Opéra de Monte Carlo – WOZZECK
 
Theater Pforzheim - Don Giovanni
© Theater Pforzheim
 
Theater Pforzheim - Don Giovanni
© Theater Pforzheim
 
Theater Pforzheim - Don Giovanni
© Theater Pforzheim
 
Theater Bremen - Don Giovanni
 
Theater Bremen - Don Giovanni
 
Theater Bremen - Don Giovanni
 
 
INTERVIEWS - PORTRAITS
BIRGER RADDE Interview, "Wozzeck à Monte-Carlo : le rôle-titre"