Rahel Brede

The mezzo-soprano Rahel Brede is spart of the ensemble in Heidelberg with the start of the 2026/27 season. She gained stage experience at an early age in the Children’s and Youth Choir of the Oper Kiel, where she took on her first solo tasks. During her studies at the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber Dresden, she appeared at the Landesbühnen Sachsen as Hänsel in Humperdinck’s »Hänsel und Gretel«. Immediately after completing her bachelor’s degree, she joined the ensemble of the Staatstheater Cottbus. There she developed her voice across a wide stylistic spectrum and established herself in key mezzo‑soprano roles such as Mercédès (»Carmen«), Emilia (»Otello«), Suzuki (»Madama Butterfly«), the Fox in Janáček’s »The Cunning Little Vixen« and Octavian in »Der Rosenkavalier«, earning notable critical acclaim. In the 2021/22 season she first appeared as Cherubino in Mozart’s »Le nozze di Figaro«, praised by RBB Kultur for her »elfin voice«. Her debut in Monteverdi’s »L’Orfeo«, performing four roles (La Musica, Ninfa, Messaggiera, Proserpina), was described as »particularly powerful« and »overwhelming«.

Alongside her stage work, Rahel Brede completed her master’s degree in Dresden with top marks in 2021 and continues to refine her artistry in masterclasses with Brigitte Fassbaender, Elena Gorshunova, Lucas Meachem and Margreet Honig. In 2023 she performed orchestral songs by Alma Mahler‑Schindler with the Staatstheaters Cottbus Orchestra, one of which was broadcast live by RBB Kultur. In 2025 she appeared at the Mozartfest Würzburg. In early 2025 Rahel Brede made her international debut at Korea National Opera in Seoul as Cherubino. She is currently a member of the ensemble at Theater Regensburg, performing roles such as Suza in Joseph Beer’s »Polnische Hochzeit«, Maddalena in Verdi’s »Rigoletto« and Ruggiero in Handel’s »Alcina«.

She has received several awards, including at the DEBUT Competition (2024) and as a semi‑finalist at the Concorso Lirico Ottavio Ziino in Palermo.