Contact
Clara Rempecr@karstenwitt.com+49 30 214 594 -233
Elia Merguetel@karstenwitt.com+49 30 214 594 -225
General Management
Simon Bode can be seen at the Salzburg Festival from July 30 to August 27 in Mozart's Magic Flute.
Simon Bode talks about his wanderlust for musical journeys.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Die Zauberflöte
Simon Bode, tenor (1st armed man / 2nd priest)
Wiener Philharmoniker
Lydia Steier, stage direction
Joana Mallwitz, conductor
A singer with the gift of a beautiful voice and confident stage presence.Serenade Magazine, April 2019
Simon Bode is one of the most sought-after lyric tenors of his generation, commanding opera and recital stages the world over. Equally beloved for his warm, bright timbre as for his forthright stage presence, the singer is a frequent guest at prestigious international festivals such as the Heidelberger Frühling, Kissinger Sommer, Beethovenfest Bonn, the Rheingau and Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festivals, the International Handel Festival Göttingen, and at the Bregenz and Salzburg Festivals. He recently made his acclaimed debut at the Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin and has performed multiple times in London’s Wigmore Hall to much fanfare.
Simon Bode has already been nominated on several occasions for Young Singer of the Year in Opernwelt magazine’s annual survey. Guest performances have led him to the Norwegian National Opera in Oslo, Opéra National de Bordeaux, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, and Theater Basel, among others. At the Hessiches Staatstheater Wiesbaden he made a guest appearance in 2017 with Zender’s Winterreise, returning in 2018 as Don Ottavio in Mozart’s Don Giovanni and in 2019 as Narraboth for a new production of Richard Strauss’s Salome. As an ensemble member of the Niedersächsische Staatsoper Hannover and the Frankfurt Opera, Simon Bode has performed in numerous premieres and in many major roles of his voice part, as in the world premiere of Peter Eötvös' Der goldene Drache, and as Tamino (Mozart’s Magic Flute), Belmonte (Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Don Ottavio (Mozart’s Don Giovanni), Fenton (Verdi’s Falstaff), Orsino (Trojahn’s Was ihr wollt), and Steuermann (Wagner’s Der fliegende Holländer), among others.
In addition to opera, Simon Bode’s great passions are song and chamber music. His longstanding musical partners include pianists Igor Levit, Graham Johnson, and Simon Lepper, with whom he regularly gives world premieres and song programmes that go beyond the typical concert repertoire. Simon Bode has also performed with ensembles such as the Vienna Philharmonic, NDR Radiophilharmonie, Ensemble Modern, Bochumer Symphoniker, and Les Talens Lyriques, and worked with conductors including Kent Nagano, Alan Gilbert, Andrew Manze, Andrea Marcon, Constantinos Carydis, HK Gruber, Peter Eötvös, and Sebastian Weigle. He thrilled audiences as Freddy in the semi-staged New Year's Eve production of My Fair Lady in the Great Hall of the Elbphilharmonie with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester under Alan Gilbert, and shortly after made his US debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra under Esa-Pekka Salonen in February 2020, performing Hindemith's Mörder, Hoffnung der Frauen and Weill's Seven Deadly Sins.
He released his debut CD together with pianist Graham Johnson featuring songs by Johannes Brahms for Hyperion in 2011. Several recordings have been published in cooperation with Oper Frankfurt for OehmsClassics, including Wagner's Die Feen and Das Liebesverbot. EuroArts also released a DVD of Sciarrino's Luci mie traditrici in 2012 — a coproduction of Oper Frankfurt and Cantiere Internazionale d'Arte di Montepulciano. In 2018 and 2021, Naxos released two Schumann-CDs recorded with Ulrich Eisenlohr and Stefan Irmer; further Brahms and Schumann songs are soon to follow.
Simon Bode kicks off the 2021/22 season as Artist in Residence at the Festival for Early Music in Knechtsteden, Germany, followed by recitals at Oxford Lieder with Simon Lepper and in London’s Wigmore Hall with Huw Watkins. Together with Igor Levit he will appear at Alte Oper Frankfurt and again at Wigmore Hall. In addition, he will make his debut in the great hall of the Vienna Musikverein performing Schubert’s Winterreise. He will be part of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio in St Jacobi Hamburg in December and interpret the arias in Bach’s St. John’s passion in concerts with RIAS Kammerchor under Christoph Prégardien in Luzern and Basel. In the summer of 2022, he will perform as Fernando in a semi-staged production of Reichardt’s Geisterinsel at Musikfestspiele Potsdam.
Simon Bode has won numerous national and international competitions and studied with professor Charlotte Lehmann in Hanover and Neil Semer in New York.
2021/22 season
This biography is to be reproduced without any changes, omissions or additions, unless expressly authorised by the artist management.
Fin de Siècle
Recital with Igor Levit, pianoG. Mahler: Five songs after poems by Friedrich RückertF. Schubert: Du bist die Ruh (Rückert) and other songs R. Strauss: Heimliche Aufforderung (from songs, Op. 27) and other songs (Op. 10, Op. 39)G. Mahler: Songs from Wunderhorn
Full programme available here.
Beethoven & Belcanto
Recital with Simon Lepper, pianoL. v. Beethoven: An die ferne Geliebte, Op. 98F. Schubert: Various songs (sung in Italian)G. Rossini: La partenzaV. Bellini: Ma rendi pur contentoG. Donizetti: Il pescatore L. v. Beethoven: Various songs
Details and further programmes on request.
"Bode has a beautiful instrument, resonant and flexible which lifts and navigates effortlessly in his middle and higher registers."
Bachtrack, Chanda VanderHart, May 2022 – on the Vienna Musikverein debut
“The highlight of the evening [...]. Incredibly sympathetic and warm-heartedly performed with youthful charm, [Bode] sings Freddy with a gorgeous, supple tenor, wonderfully modulating between delicate piani and powerful fortissimi that go straight to the hearts of the audience.”
Kulturfelder.de, Hildegard Wiecker, 7 January 2020
“When the tenor Simon Bode comes onstage as Freddy, Eliza’s admirer, the music became magnificent. Bode's voice radiates a charisma and intensity that requires no reinforcement.”
Bachtrack.com, Sarah Schnoor, 6 January 2020
“The discovery of the evening is the young tenor Simon Bode. In his supporting role as Eliza's admirer Freddy, he shows a flair for the Broadway sound, drawing out the melodic lines with a flourish while also proving he’s earned his operatic credentials with Mozart.”
Hamburger Abendblatt, 1 January 2020
“Tenor Simon Bode delighted with Vaughan Williams's cycle 'On Wenlock Edge,' a highlight of lieder singing.”
Hamburger Abendblatt, 21 October 2019
“Anna Palimina and Simon Bode both produce gorgeous legato lines, which blend lyricism with a tinge of sadness […] Occasionally, you listen to a piece of music and come away with the feeling that you have discovered a rare treasure which deserves to be known much more widely. That is certainly the case with these cycles. The performers are all to be commended for the exceptionally high quality of the singing and playing.”
musicweb-international.com, Robert Beattie, June 2019 – on the Schumann CD feautring songs from "Minnespiel", "Spanisches Liederspiel", and "Spanische Liebeslieder", NAXOS 8.573944
“Simon Bode’s repertoire choice was unsual and was delivered by such commanding mastery that no future appearance should be missed. Here is a singer with the gift of a beautiful voice and confident stage presence.”
Serenade Magazine, Fareed Curmally, 30. April 2019 - on a song recital at Wigmore Hall London
“It’s rare to hear this cycle performed with such gripping immediacy […] with such attention to the text, such clear articulation by this tenor from Hamburg. […] Bode firmly but never forcefully conveys the shifting emotions of this ultimately doomed paramour in a clear, powerful, bright-to-the-core voice, with a broad array of colours, gleaming high notes, subtle lyricism and an elegant pianissimo.”
Bayerische Staatszeitung, Renate Freyeisen, 12 July 2018 - on Die schöne Müllerin at the Kissinger Sommer Festival
"Another reason for the premiere’s resounding musical success is the young singer Simon Bode. A highly cultivated lyric tenor with exemplary pronunciation, he was perfectly cast not just vocally but also has a formidable and thrilling stage presence."
Darmstädter Echo, October 2017 - on Eine Winterreise at Staatstheater Wiesbaden
“…A stellar evening of artful singing…”
Frankfurter Neue Presse, August 2017 - on Die schöne Müllerin at the Rheingau Musikfestival
“Equally astonishing is the tenor voice of Simon Bode (Orfeo), who effortlessly lends clear yet nuanced shading even to the highest registers of his nimble voice.”
Göttinger Tageblatt, June 2017 - on Haydn‘s Orfeo at International Händel-Festival
“Of special mention is the German tenor Simon Bode, with an incredibly warm timbre as Don Ottavio.”
musikundtheater.ch, January 2017 - on Don Giovanni at Theater Basel
“There were outstanding performances from Kiandra Howarth […] and Simon Bode, who was touching in the role of Ottavio, shaping his arias into delicate, soaring declarations of love.”
Badische Zeitung, January 2017 - on Don Giovanni at Theater Basel
“Louise Alder and Simon Bode together ignite sparks as the young bohemians […]”
Gramophone Magazin, 2017 - on Der Graf von Luxemburg - Oehms Classics
"For the full two hours Bode remains clear, present, and open amid the high demands of the piece – an exceptional singer and -evangelist!"
Wiesbadener Kurier, April 2016 - on St. John’s Passion
"Political music theatre lives on! Simon Bode is not only equipped with a melodious and effortlessly lyrical tenor, but has a mesmerizing gift for performance […]"
omm.de, Ursula Decker-Bönninger, 2015 - on Der goldene Drache
"Simon Bode […] is already an aristocrat in Mozart Style – a name to be watched. I haven`t enjoyed an ‘Entführung’ as much in decades […]"
Opera Magazine, Hugh Canning, 2012 - on Die Entführung aus dem Serail at Oper Frankfurt
"…Bode’s performance of another Wolf favourite, An eine Äolsharfe, is sung with masterly legato…"
BBC music magazine, January 2012 - on Brahms - The complete songs Vol.3, Hyperion Records
"His tone is crystal-clear, his phrasing always thoughtful […] the haunted and little-known "Lerchengesang" brings one of the loveliest performances […] “Wiegenlied“ is as dulcet as one would hope […]"
Gramophone, Richard Wigmore, February 2012 - Brahms - The complete songs Vol.3, Hyperion Records
Beethoven: Neue Liebe neues Leben Op. 75 Nr. 2
Simon Bode and Simon Lepper with Lieder by Beethoven and Bellini on DLF Musik Panorama
Simon Bode, Ulrich Eisenlohr, Caroline MelzerNaxos, 2022, 8574261
Caroline Melzer, Anke Vondung, Simon Bode, Ulrich Eisenlohr Naxos, 2021, 8574119
Simon Bode, Anna Palimina, Marion Eckstein, Matthias Hoffman, Ulrich Eisenlohr, Stefan Irmer
Naxos, 2019, 8573944
Simon Bode, Daniel Behle, Camilla Nylund, Louise Alder i.a.
OehmsClassics, 2017, OC 968
Simon Bode (tenor), Christel Lee (violin), Igor Levit (piano)
Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben, 2017
Simon Bode i.a., Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester, Sebastian Weigle (conductor)
OehmsClassics, 2013, OC 942
Simon Bode i.a., Opern- & Museumsorchester Frankfurt, Sebastian Weigle (conductor)
OehmsClassics, 2011/2012, OC 015
Simon Bode, Nina Tarandek, Christian Miedl, Roland Schneider, Ensemble Algoritmo, Marco Angius
Stradivarius, 2011
Simon Bode (tenor), Graham Johnson (piano)
Hyperion Records, 2011, CDJ33123