The baritone Jochen Schmeckenbecher comes from Hockenheim and studied with Kurt Moll at the Cologne Academy of Music. After permanent engagements at the Hagen Theatre and the Komische Oper Berlin, he sings the essential roles of his subject at the international opera and concert stages.
Jochen Schmeckenbecher's main focus is on the German-language repertoire with roles such as Amfortas and Klingsor/Parsifal, Kurwenal/Tristan und Isolde, Musiklehrer/Ariadne auf Naxos, Faninal/Rosenkavalier, Orest/ Elektra, Peter/Hänsel und Gretel, Pizarro/Fidelio, the title role in Wozzeck and Dr. Schön/ Lulu.
He has enjoyed particular success as Alberich/Ring des Nibelungen at the Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna State Operas, the Frankfurt and Leipzig Operas, the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, the Liceu in Barcelona, the Tanglewood Festival, the Berlin Philharmonie, the Bastille in Paris and on several CD/DVD recordings.
Since his role debut at the Vienna State Opera as Musiklehrer/ Ariadne auf Naxos in 2010, he has been closely associated with this house and regularly sings roles there such as Alberich, Amfortas and Klingsor, Kurwenal, Faninal, Frank/ Fledermaus, Sprecher/ Zauberflöte and Musiklehrer.
Other engagements have taken him to the Dresden, Munich and Stuttgart State Operas, the Opera National de Paris, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Met New York, La Scala Milan, the Teatro Real Madrid, the Theater an der Wien, the Volksoper Wien, the Salzburg Festival and the operas in Essen, Lyon, Turin as well as San Francisco, Dallas and Philadelphia.
Concerts have taken him to the Konzerthaus and Musikverein Vienna, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Philharmonie Berlin, Royal Festival Hall London and the Paris Philharmonie, among others.
Upcoming engagements include productions at the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Bavarian State Opera Munich, the Opera National de Paris and the Theater Basel.