Soloist - Bass
Philipp Meierhöfer
Zitat einfügen oder Element löschenIf I weren’t a singer, I’d have become a carpenter. My father was a master carpenter.
In the Ensemble of the Komische
Oper Berlin since 2012.
ORIGINALLY FROM
born in Bavaria
lives in Weimar / Thuringia
STUDIES
Hochschule für Musik Würzburg (with Leandra Overmann)
Oper Berlin since 2012.
ORIGINALLY FROM
born in Bavaria
lives in Weimar / Thuringia
STUDIES
Hochschule für Musik Würzburg (with Leandra Overmann)
DVD and CD
Der Kobold von Siegfried Wagner
IMPORTANT CONDUCTORS
Enrique Mazzola
Yakov Kreizberg
Johannes Harneit
Enrique Mazzola
Matthias Grünert
IMPORTANT DIRECTORS
Peter Konwitschny
Anthony Pilavachi
Karsten Wiegand
Dietrich Hilsdorf
Barrie Kosky
PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENTS
Landestheater Coburg
Staatstheater Hannover
Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar
EXCURSIONS
Oper Bonn
Oper Lübeck
Semperoper Dresden
IMPORTANT PARTS AT THE KOMISCHE OPER BERLIN
Athlete (American Lulu)
Bill (Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny)
Masetto (Don Giovanni)
Colline (La Bohème)
Orlik (Mazeppa)
Colline (La Bohème)
Gandharta, Feldherr des Poros (Poros)
Graf Oscar (Blaubart)
Papageno (Die Zauberflöte)
Celio (Die Liebe zu drei Orangen)
Le Premier Ministre (Cendrillon - Aschenputtel)
Sarastro (Die Zaubermelodika)
Kálmán Zsupán (Der »Zigeuner«baron)
IMPORTANT PARTS ELSEWHEREDr. Baculus (Der Wildschütz)
Leporello (Don Giovanni)
Figaro (Die Hochzeit des Figaro)
Papageno (Die Zauberflöte)
Mefistofeles (Margarete)
Philipp Meierhöfer began giving international concerts before his voice even broke, and before his mother had ever flown in a plane. Back then, he was in the famous Windsbacher Knabenchor in his Franconian homeland. Now he lives with his family in Weimar, and as of recent times, also receives visits in the theatre from his young daughters. They see their dad on the stage and love it when he’s allowed to eat cake there.
»If I weren’t a singer, I’d have become a carpenter. My father was a master carpenter,« Meierhöfer responds to the question of whether he can imagine a different life to that of a singer. »Or a banker, that was a lot of fun, back in the day at Sparkasse,« where he trained to be a banker after graduating from high school. Philipp Meierhöfer’s trajectory was not set out in advance. Though his mother enjoys painting, his family didn’t listen to operas at home. But the Franconian loved to be the centre of attention, and »even as a child was always hogging the limelight« (Meierhöfer on Meierhöfer). During his bank apprenticeship, he sang romantic popular ballads and barbershop songs in an a cappella quartet, and with this programme, the lads were invited to a private party held by the tenor Siegfried Jerusalem. The professional singers in attendance advised Philipp Meierhöfer to train his voice: »Okay,« he thought, »I suppose I can give it a try.”
While he was still studying, he sang at Theater Würzburg, and after graduation, was offered a position in Coburg, played Colline in La Bohème, experienced sold-out performances with Otto Pichler’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar, and while in Hanover for a guest role, met Peter Konwitschny in his production of Luigi Nono’s Al gran sole carico d’amore.The part of Baculus in Albert Lortzing’s Der Wildschütz is particularly important to him, became his signature role, »sometimes even haunts me«, and took him to stages right around the country as a guest singer. Nowadays, the former underdog is enriching the Komische Oper Berlin with his energy and talent for the buffo genre. And where does he want to go with it all? »I would love to do Baron Ochs from the Rosenkavalier«, and maybe he’ll even get to make a guest appearance in his Franconian homeland. Then his mother wouldn’t have to travel so far to see him on stage. Her very first flight took her to one of her son’s performances: to see one of young Philipp’s choral concerts in Israel in 1992.
1. Which opera character have you learnt the most from (and what)?
I believe that all opera characters share the same goal as any person who wants to convey a message.
Regardless of whether the character’s goals are noble or wicked, my aim – and this is a constant learning process – is to convey the character’s aspirations honestly to the audience, as if the person were doing this for the first time, that is, without the weeks of rehearsals we all go through to get there.
2. What do you sing when no one is listening?
Nothing that’s pleasant. Not even for my family or my own ears.
3. What profession would you have today if you hadn’t become a singer?
I’d probably be a banker; that’s what I was before I became a singer. It’s a bit like opera, after all...
4. Which artistic experience changed everything for you?
I joined the Windsbach Boys’ Choir as a soprano when I was 10. Until then, music hadn’t played a role in our home. The sense of community at boarding school and the shared experience of performing in concerts changed everything for me. Without all those experiences, my life would certainly have turned out differently.
5. What do you do after the performance?
Shower, relax, and – if rehearsal is at 10 the next day – off to bed quickly.
I believe that all opera characters share the same goal as any person who wants to convey a message.
Regardless of whether the character’s goals are noble or wicked, my aim – and this is a constant learning process – is to convey the character’s aspirations honestly to the audience, as if the person were doing this for the first time, that is, without the weeks of rehearsals we all go through to get there.
2. What do you sing when no one is listening?
Nothing that’s pleasant. Not even for my family or my own ears.
3. What profession would you have today if you hadn’t become a singer?
I’d probably be a banker; that’s what I was before I became a singer. It’s a bit like opera, after all...
4. Which artistic experience changed everything for you?
I joined the Windsbach Boys’ Choir as a soprano when I was 10. Until then, music hadn’t played a role in our home. The sense of community at boarding school and the shared experience of performing in concerts changed everything for me. Without all those experiences, my life would certainly have turned out differently.
5. What do you do after the performance?
Shower, relax, and – if rehearsal is at 10 the next day – off to bed quickly.