Thomas Volle, tenor

Born in 1980 in Nürtingen (Germany) Thomas Volle got his first singing lessons at the age of 8 in the boys choir “Aurelius Sängerknaben Calw“, there also having the opportunity to gain first stage experience as “Knabe” in “The Magicflute” by Mozart on several opera stages all over Germany and Europe.

In 2002 he started his singing studies with Professor Thomas Quasthoff, initially at “Hochschule für Musik” at Detmold, later at “Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler” at Berlin, where he was also a member of Professor Wolfram Rieger’s “Lied”-class. Thomas Volle completed his studies with Professor Berthold Schmid at “Hochschule für Musik und Theater Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy“ in Leipzig. The young tenor was awarded the „Frankfurter Mendelssohn-Preis 2008“ and succeded several times at the competition „Jugend musiziert“, 2001 he was invited by „Deutscher Musikrat“ to take part in the „European Summer Academy for Chamber Music“ in Blonay (Switzerland). Thomas Volle attended various masterclasses with Professor Charlotte Lehmann, 2007 he took part in the masterclass „The Art of Song“ at Carnegie Hall (New York). Regularly he is invited to festivals such as Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival,  Biennale Alter Musik in Berlin, Bachfest Leipzig and sang at the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Telemann-Tage Magdeburg, Zermatt Festival, Internasjonale Kirkemusikkfestival Oslo, Stockholm Early Music Festival as well as Christmas Sibirian Festival Novosibirsk, Birgitta Festival Tallinn, Niedersächsische Musiktage or at the festival o/modernt in Stockholm.

Numerous operatic performances led him to different opera-houses, as for instance the “Théatre des Champs-Elysées Paris“, the „Opéra de Lille“, „La Monnaie“ Bruxelles, „Malmö Operan“, „Luzerner Theater“, „Folkoperan“ Stockholm, „Norrlands Operan Umeå“, „Nationaltheater Mannheim“, „Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe“, „Landestheater Coburg”, „Landestheater Detmold“, „Städtische Bühnen Bielefeld“ or “Schlosstheater Rheinsberg” and he was a member of the “Young Opera Nordrhein-Westfalen and Niedersachsen”. In Berlin Thomas Volle performed for instance as “Oebalus” in Mozart’s “Apollo and Hyazinth” for the reopening of the “Bode Museum” and and he sang title roles such as „Serse“ in the opera of the same name by Händel or „Nerone“ in „L’incoronazione di Poppea“ by Monteverdi as well as „Rinuccio“ in Puccini’s „Gianni Schicchi“. Further he performed the role of „Ferrando“ in Mozart’s „Cosi fan tutte“ in Leipzig, a production of P. Dusapin’s „Passio“ (first performance) with „Sasha Waltz&Guests Dance Company“ and the „ensemble modern“ led him to the „Théatre des Champs-Elysées“ in Paris. In the last years Thomas Volle made his debut in the role of „Tamino“ in „The Magic Flute“ by Mozart at the Festival „Schärdinger Sommeroper“ (Austria) and sang the part of „Stephanus“ in „Paulus“ (first performance) by T. Jennefelt in Berlin followed for instance by further perfomances of Dusapin’s „Passio“ at „La Monnaie“ Bruxelles. Further he sung roles such as „Pastore“ in „L’Orfeo“ by Monteverdi in Berlin’s „HAU Theatre“ or as „Guido“ in „Enrico di Borgogna“ by Donizetti in Vadstena, Sweden. Further Thomas Volle sang „Don Ottavio“ in „Don Giovanni“ by Mozart and as „Nureddin“ in „Der Barbier von Bagdad“ by P. Cornelius, both at the „Landestheater Coburg“. Recently he performed as „Gandhi“ in Ph. Glass’ opera „Satyagraha“ at „Folkoperan“ in Stockholm and made his debut as „Don José“ in G. Bizets „Carmen“ at „Uppsala Stadsteater“ (Swedish culture radio channel P2: ”Best opera experience in 2017”) as well as „Belmonte” in W.A. Mozarts „Die Entführung aus dem Serail“ at summer opera festival „Teater Varberg“. He sung „Melanchthon“ in B. Holtens Oper ”Schlagt Sie Tot“ at the „Malmö Operan“ (first performance), „Colin“ in J.J. Rousseaus „Le Devin du Village“ at „Slottsteater Confidencen“ (Stockholm) as well as „Testo“ in C. Monteverdis „Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda“ at „Luzerner Theater“. Next season will lead Thomas Volle to „Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe“ as „Don José“ in G. Bizets „Carmen“ or to „Malmö Operan“ as „Vitek“ in L. Janáčeks „The Makropulos Affair“ and as „Tybalt“ in Ch. Gounod’s „Romeo et Juliette“.

His extensive repertoire as concert- and oratorio-singer comprises for instance Bach’s „Passions“, „Oratorios“, „Messes“ and numerous cantatas, the „Masses“ and „Requiem“ by Mozart as well as Haydn’s „The Creation“ or Händel’s „The Messiah“, „Paulus“ and „Elias“ by Mendelssohn or „Le Roi David“ by Honegger. Thomas Volle sang with orchestras like the „Deutsche Radio Philharmonie“, „Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin“, the „Lautten Compagney Berlin“, „Drottningholms Barockensemble“, „Helsinki Baroque Orchestra“, „Göteborg Baroque“, „Il GustoBarocco“, „Elbipolis Barockorchester“, the „Leipziger Barockorchester“, „Scharoun-Ensemble“, ”ensemble modern“, „Solistenensemble Kaleidoskop“, the „Konzerthausorchester Berlin“, the „Deutsche Philharmoniker“,  „Staatskapelle Halle“, „Academic Symphonic Orchestra Novosibirsk“ or for instance the „Orquesta Filarmónica De Cámara Madrid“ as well as with choires and ensembles such as „Dresdner Kreuzchor“, „Eric Ericsons Kammarkör“, „Dresdner Kammerchor“, „Philharmonischer Chor Köln“, „Berliner Singakademie“, the „State Russian A. Yurlov Choir Capella“, „Aurelius Sängerknaben Calw“, „Cäcilien-Chor Frankfurt“ or the „Singakademie zu Berlin“. His broad activity in this field regularly leads him abroad and he performed in concerthalls such as „ Novosibirsk Philharmonia“, „Stockholms Konserthus“, „Berliner Philharmonie“, „Kölner Philharmonie“, „Konzerthaus Berlin“ or „Alte Oper Frankfurt“. Among others he worked with conductors like Howard Arman, Marcus Creed, Peter Schreier, Roderich Kreile, Pietari Inkinen, Robert Hollingworth, Franck Ollu, Gintaras Rinkevičius, Patrik Ringborg, Olof Boman, Roland Kluttig, Wolfgang Katschner, Fredrik Malmberg, Stefan Parkman, Florian Heyerick, Jörg Halubek or Nicholas Fink.

Song recitals have always been a major part of his musical work and Thomas Volle is able to draw from a wide-ranging repertoire of Lied. During the last years he performed for instance „Das Lied von der Erde“ by G. Mahler in Dresden, presented „Die schöne Müllerin“ by F. Schubert both with the pianist Katharina Landl in Rattenberg (Austria) or with the pianist Magnus Svensson in Stockholm and at the „Gamla Teater“ at Vadstena (Sweden). With him he he also gave a recital with a swedish program as „Artist in Residence“ at „Vadstena Akademien“ as well as a recital as part of the concert series „Romansserien“ at „Stockholm Konserthus“ or performed „Die schöne Müllerin“ by F. Schubert at the ”Osterfesttage Potsdam“. At the the festival „O/modernt“ in Stockholm he recently presented L.v. Beethovens „An die ferne Geliebte“ with the scottish pianist Alasdair Beatson.