Fabian-Jakob Balkhausen

Since the 2024/25 season the German bass Fabian-Jakob Balkhausen has been a member of the ensemble of the Hessian State Theatre in Wiesbaden, where he has so far sung roles including Sacristan (Tosca), Zuniga (Carmen), Antonio (Le nozze di Figaro), Speaker (Die Zauberflöte), Marquis d’Obigny (La traviata), Hermit (Der Freischütz), King in Offenbach’s Fantasio and the Administrative Director Friedrich Hemmschuh in the world premiere of the operetta Alles Liebe!. His song and concert repertory encompasses works from the Baroque to the present day.

In the 2025/26 season he participated in the Britten Pears Young Artist Programme, where he performed Doctor in Pelléas et Mélisande. He also sang Schubert’s Winterreise for the first time in Wiesbaden.

Fabian-Jakob Balkhausen studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna and participated in masterclasses with Susan Graham and Marlena Malas. He continues to work with the bass Matthew Rose. In 2022 he was a finalist in the Hans Staud Music Prize.

He appeared in university productions at the Schlosstheater Schönbrunn as Colline (La bohème) and Mícha (The Bartered Bride). His other performances have included Sarastro in the Mozart adaptation Zauberflöte Re-Loaded at the Festival Klassik.Klang in Berndorf, Officer (Il barbiere di Siviglia) at the Wiener Kammeroper and Simone (Gianni Schicchi) at the Chautauqua Opera Conservatory.

In 2023 he sang the bass part in the solo quartet in Die Entführung aus dem Serail at the Vienna State Opera. In 2024 he was a member of the Opera Studio of the Bregenz Festival, appearing as Betto di Signa (Gianni Schicchi).

He has worked with directors including Pınar Karabulut, Wolfgang Nägele, Brigitte Fassbaender and Tom Goossens and with conductors such as Leo McFall, Marco Alibrando and Cornelius Meister.

In summer 2026 he makes his debut at the Salzburg Festival as Lackey in Ariadne auf Naxos.