Zur deutschen Version wechseln
Internationally acclaimed baritone Johannes Held captivates audiences as an opera and lieder singer with his firm, radiant voice and compelling expressive power. His versatile career combines traditional mastery with innovative projects that draw in audiences and critics alike.
Johannes Held laid the foundation of his musical career with the Stuttgart Hymnus Boys‘ Choir, studied in Freiburg, and completed his training at the renowned Royal Danish Opera Academy in Copenhagen under Susanna Eken. After graduating, he became an ensemble member at the Oldenburg State Theatre and has since been a sought-after soloist on international stages, including the Royal Danish Opera, the Danish National Opera Aarhus, Wermland Opera (Sweden), Staatstheater Mainz, and Teatro Comunale Bolzano (Italy). His operatic repertoire includes solo roles such as Papageno (The Magic Flute), Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), and Escamillo (Carmen), complemented by roles such as Dr. Falke and Sid.
In the 2026/27 season, Johannes Held will appear as a guest artist with the Stuttgart Ballet, singing eight performances of Gustav Mahler’s „Songs of a Wayfarer“ (Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen) in Maurice Béjart’s choreography.
As a lieder interpreter, Johannes Held has built a widely respected reputation: more than 250 song recitals — from Schubert and Wolf to Mahler — have brought him together with pianists such as Doriana Tchakarova, Daniel Heide, Jean-Sélim Abdelmoula, Götz Payer, and Gábor Csalog. His concert appearances have taken him to venues including the Konzerthaus Berlin, the Oxford International Song Festival, the Meran Music Weeks, the Tivoli Concert Hall Copenhagen, the Lofoten Chamber Music Festival, the Festival Academy Budapest, kamara.hu Budapest, Liedstadt Hamburg, and the Liederhalle Stuttgart. Together with Doriana Tchakarova, he recorded the CD „Erlkönig – 13 Settings,“ released on the écoutez label.
A particular focus of his work lies in extraordinary formats: with „Winterreise staged,“ he created a gripping staged interpretation of Schubert’s cycle that earned international acclaim, including a recording with Daniel Beskow (ARS Musikproduktion, 2018). The innovative project „Herr Nuss“ combines music, text, and performance in a novel way, opening new approaches to the art of song.
Since 2012, Johannes Held has been building the Liedfestival Sindelfingen (formerly known as the Kunstlied Festival DER ZWERG), which, under his artistic direction, has become a highly regarded platform for the art of song, the promotion of young talent, and musical encounters.