biography

The young German-born conductor Michael Balke conducted his first opera at the age of 19. Since then he has been recognized rapidly for his versatility both as conductor and as pianist. Since his debut, he has appeared in Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Hungary, USA and China.

Until 2006 he has served as conductor and Assoc. Musical Director at the Hamburg Chamber Opera preparing and leading more than 70 performances. He has gained further experience as conductor of the Minden Theatre, as musical assistant at the National Theater Mannheim, the Orchestra della Toscana in Florence (György Ráth), and the Teatro Donizetti in Bergamo (Alessandro de Marchi), as well as pianist at the State Opera Hamburg and the State Theater Braunschweig. In 2006/07 he worked at the Opera Bonn, and was invited by the Budapest Concert Orchestra to conduct in Budapest's prestigious Great Hall. In 2007 he conducted a concert with the members of the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra. in 2008 he was invited by Zubin Mehta to assist at his rehearsals for the new production of Verdi's "Forza del destino" at the Vienna State Opera. He also conducted "I Concertisti della Fenice" (chamber orchestra of the Teatro La Fenice) in Venice. Since 2005 he has been Artistic Director of the Hamburg Opernsalon, a concert series that regularly presents international opera singers.

Among the opera productions he has led there have been Mozart's "Magic Flute", "Le nozze di Figaro", "Cosi fan tutte", "Abduction from the Seraglio", Humperdinck's "Haensel und Gretel", Lortzing's "Zar und Zimmerman", Tchaikovsky's "Eugen Onegin", Rossini's "Cenerentola" and Paisiello's "Barbier von Sevilla".

Michael Balke won numerous prizes and awards in Germany and the USA (among them recipient of the Bayreuth Award of the Richard-Wagner-Foundation, Jeunesses Musicales, etc.). Also as a pianist he has played regular concerts as soloist, chamber musician (e.g. Rheingau Festival, Cincinnati Chamber Music Society) and accompanist. Several of his concerts were recorded on radio, TV and CD.