Volker Maria Rabe (Baritone)

Born: June 30, 1967 - Stadtoldendor, near Hannover, Germany.

The German baritone, Volker Maria Rabe, began in 1988 his studies of opera-singing at the Hochschule für Musik und Drama in Hannover (1988-1993); in 1993 he transferred to the Hochschule für Musik “Franz Liszt” in Weimar (1993-1996). Since 1995 he has studied under Professor Eugene H. Rabine, who has instructed him as well in the "Rabine Method of Vocal Pedagogy". His interest within the praxis of historical performance as well as the music of the 20^th Century, led him at take part in master-classes with Professor Jakob Stämpfli (Basel), Professor Elio Battaglia (Turin), Professor Dalton Baldwin (Antibes) and Ludger Rémy. In 1994 he was awarded a scholarship from the International Richard Wagner Society in Bayreuth.

During his time at the academy Volker Maria Rabe has already sung important works in the categories Lied/Song, Oratorio and Opera. For example Die Winterreise by F. Schubert; J.S. Bach's Johannes-Passion (BWV 245), Paulus by Felix Mendelssohn and the Requiem by W.A. Mozart at the EXPO 2000 in Hanover under unter the baton of Gilles Nopre.

On stage Volker Maria Rabe has performed among other roles Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro, Sid in Albert Herring by Benjamin Britten, Petrucchio in Kiss me Kate by C. Porter, Eugene Onegin in the Opera by P.I. Tchaikovsky, Valentin in Faust by Charles Gounod the Donner in The Rhinegold by R.Wagner. He has been guest soloist in several theatres in Germany; after being member of the Ensemble in the Theatre Freiberg, he has changed to the Cottbus States Theater in 2002.

As a freelance artist Volker Maria Rabe has already performed beyond the borders of Germany, he has sung in Carmina Burana by C. Orff at the award of the Doctor honoris causa to Sr. J. Péres de Cuellar by the University of Lleida in Spain; several times he has been the featured Baritone Soloist in Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen by Gustav Mahler, which he has lately recorded with the International Young Orchestra Academy conducted by Larry Livingston (Los Angeles).

Source: Volker Maria Rabe Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (April 2009)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Christian Möbius

Bass

BWV 244

Links to other Sites

Volker Maria Rabe - Bariton (Official Website) [German]

Volker Maria Rabe (Staatstheater Cottbus) [German]