Biography
German mezzo-soprano Doris Soffel first studied violin at the Munich Academy of Music, then singing with the legendary Wagner/Strauss-soprano Marianne Schech. During her studies already, she made her debut at the Bayreuth Youth Festival, singing the leading role in Wagner´s Das Liebesverbot. Wolfgang Windgassen immediately engaged her at the Stuttgart opera ensemble. During the following years she could build up a broad repertoire, including protagonist roles like Carmen, Eboli/Don Carlo and Octavian/Der Rosenkavalier.With her sensational success at Covent Garden as Sesto in Mozart´s Titus 1983 and as Orlofsky in Fledermaus (conductor Domingo) 1984 her world career was launched. Sawallisch gave her a lasting guest contract at the Bavarian State Opera, Munich. Since then she has made regular appearances in all big and important opera houses and concert halls of the world. In the 1980ies Doris Soffel became the only German mezzo-soprano with a world career in coloratura roles (belcanto-operas like L´Italiana in Algeri and La Cenerentola by Rossini as well as Donizetti and Bellini operas). Her cooperation with Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge has been well documented. In French repertoire she conquered the International audience not only with Carmen, but also with roles like Charlotte in Massenet’s Werther (with Alfredo Kraus) and Marguerite (Berlioz’ Damnation de Faust). Her exceptional musicality and vocal flexibility also led to cooperation with contemporary composers like Reimann, Henze and Penderecki. She had triumphant successes at world premieres, e.g. at the Munich Opera Festival in 1986 as Kassandra in Reimanns Troades.
With an extraordinary combination of passion, creativity and intelligence, demonstrated already in the Italian and French roles, Doris Soffel grew into one of the most significant Wagner- and Strauss singers of our time. Her early successes as Fricka/Das Rheingold and Die Walküre with Solti in Bayreuth and her Waltraute/Götterdämmerung with Mehta were confirmed later, at Carsens Cologne-Ring, at Audis Amsterdam Ring, at the Dresden Ring, in 2010 at La Scala with Barenboim and in Berlin with Rattle. Her Kundry/Parsifal with Thielemann and her Ortrud/Lohengrin with Luisi are legendary. Doris Soffels artistic curiosity and permanent seeking of new challenges has also brought her in recent years to the Slavic repertoire: With Marfa in Mussorgski’s Khovanschina, Jezibaba/Rusalka and Kabanicha in Janacek’s Katia Kabanova the artist painted extraordinary and touching role portraits.
Today, with her strong vocal expressive power, with her charisma and with stunning acting performances, she celebrates one triumph after the other in strong Strauss roles like die Amme in Die Frau ohne Schatten (debut in Los Angeles 2004), Herodias/Salome and Klytämnestra/Elektra.
Doris Soffel has sung with legendary conductors such as von Karajan, Celebidache, Solti, Giulini, Sawallisch, Maazel, Mehta, Sinopoli, as well as Thielemann, Jordan, Runnicles, Nagano, Barenboim, Simone Young and Rattle. Working from the beginning of her career with such significant stage directors as Rennert, Ponnelle, Sir Peter Hall, Jonathan Miller, Friedrich and Kupfer had a great formative influence on her artistry and today she works with directors like Konwitschny, Carsen, Herheim, Loy, van Hove and Tcherniakov.
Doris Soffel also has an impressive career as concert- and Lied-singer, main focus on Mahler, Brahms and Strauss. A strong presence on Youtube and an extensive discography (more than 60 CDs) as well as many DVD productions testifies to the great versatility of the singer and to the beauty of her voice. She is German “Kammersängerin” and in 2001 she was awarded with the Royal Swedish Northern Star Order for her important artistic contributions to Swedish music life.
Past engagements in recent seasons have included Herodias in Salome, Clytemnestra in Elektra, Leokadja Bergblick in Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny* and Mme de Croissy in Dialogues des Carmelites*. Last season 2022/23 she took on the roles of Madame Louise in Ocean, Herodias in Slome and Adelaide in Arabella at Deutsche Oper Berlin. In addition, she was seen as the Witch in Die Königskinder at the Nationale Opera in Amsterdam.
In the 2023/24 season, Doris Soffel's roles included Clytemnestra in Elektra at the Semperoper Dresden, Respectable Lady in The Nose at the Bayerische Staatsoper and the countess in Pique Dame at the Palau de les Arts in Valencia among others.
This season, she has already captivated audiences with her role as Madame de Croissy in Dialogues des Carmélites at the Palau de les Arts in Valencia and her two Strauss roles at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Among other roles, Doris Soffel will also be appearing in the role of Herodias in Salome at the Hamburg State Opera and as Madelone in Andrea Chenier at the Deutsche Oper Berlin at the end of the year.
Doris Soffel is a chamber singer and recipient of the Royal Swedish Order of the North Star.
* cancelled due to Covid-19
Artist Website
www.dorissoffel.comManagement
EuropeArtist Manager

Boris Orlob
Managing Director
boris@orlob.net
Mobil: +49-172-8 51 55 14
Repertoire
Repertoire Concert
Bach, J.S. | Christmas Oratorio | |
St. Matthew Passion | ||
Beethoven | Missa solemnis | |
Symphony no. 9 | ||
Berg | Sieben frühe Lieder | |
Berlioz | La mort de Cleopatre | |
Les nuits d'été | ||
Romeo et Juliette | ||
Brahms | Alt-Rhapsodie | |
Vier ernste Gesänge | ||
Dvorak | Stabat Mater | |
Hindemith | Requiem | |
Mahler | Das Lied von der Erde | |
Des Knaben Wunderhorn | ||
Kindertotenlieder | ||
Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen | ||
Rückert-Lieder | ||
Symphony no. 2 | ||
Symphony no. 3 | ||
Symphony no. 8 / Alto 1 | ||
Martin | Die Weise von Liebe und Tod des Cornets | |
In terra pax | ||
Mendelssohn | Elias | |
Paulus | ||
Mozart | Requiem | |
Pfitzner | Von deutscher Seele Op. 28 | |
Ravel | Shéhérezade | |
Rossini | Petite Messe solennelle | |
Stabat Mater | ||
Schnittke | Faust-Kantate / Mefistofela | |
Schulhoff | Menschheit Landschaften | |
Schönberg | Gurrelieder / Waldtaube | |
Sibelius | Orchesterlieder | |
Strauss, R. | Orchesterlieder | |
Strawinsky | Oedipus Rex | |
Szymanowski | Stabat Mater | |
Verdi | Requiem | |
Wagner | Wesendonck-Lieder | |
Zemlinsky | Sechs Gesänge nach Texten von Maurice Maeterlinck |
Repertoire Opera
Bartók | Bluebeard's Castle | Judit |
Bellini | Norma | Adalgisa |
Berg | Lulu | Countess Geschwitz |
Berlioz | Les Troyens | Didon |
Bernstein | Candide | Old Lady |
Bizet | Carmen | Carmen |
Cilea | Adriana Lecouvreur | Principessa |
Debussy | Pelléas et Mélisande | Geneviève |
Donizetti | La favorita | Leonora |
Maria Stuarda | Elisabetta | |
Dvorak | Rusalka | Jezibaba |
Giordano | Andrea Chénier | La comtesse di Coigny |
Gluck | Orfeo et Euridice | Orfeo |
Hindemith | Cardillac | Die Dame |
Janácek | Katja Kabanova | Kabanicha |
Mascagni | Cavalleria rusticana | Santuzza |
Massenet | Herodiade | Herodiade |
Werther | Charlotte | |
Mozart | La clemenza di Tito | Sesto |
Mussorgsky | Boris Godunov | Marina |
Chowanschtschina | Marfa | |
Offenbach | Les contes d'Hoffmann | La voix de la mère |
Penderecki | Ubu Rex | Maire Ubu |
Ponchielli | La Gioconda | Laura Adorno |
Poulenc | Dialogues des Carmélites | Madame de Croissy |
Reimann | Troades | Kassandra |
Saint-Saëns | Samson et Dalila | Dalila |
Schoeck | Penthesilea | Penthesilea |
Spohr | Jessonda | Amazili |
Strauss, J. | Die Fledermaus | Prinz Orlofsky |
Strauss, R. | Arabella | Adelaide |
Ariadne auf Naxos | Composer | |
Capriccio | Clairon | |
Der Rosenkavalier | Octavian | |
Die Frau ohne Schatten | Nurse | |
Elektra | Klytämnestra | |
Salome | Herodias | |
Stravinsky | Oedipus Rex | Jokaste |
Tchaikovsky | The Maid of Orleans | Joan of Arc |
The Queen of Spades | Countess | |
Verdi | Aida | Amneris |
Don Carlo | Eboli | |
Il trovatore | Azucena | |
Wagner | Das Rheingold | Fricka |
Die Walküre | Fricka | |
Götterdämmerung | Waltraute | |
Lohengrin | Ortrud | |
Parsifal | Kundry | |
Rienzi | Adriano | |
Tannhäuser | Venus | |
Tristan und Isolde | Brangäne |
News
Two great Strauss roles at Deutsche Oper Berlin
This spring, Doris Soffel will be presenting two of her signature roles by Richard Strauss to the audience of the Deutsche Oper Berlin.From 7 March 2025, she will sing Adelaide in Arabella alongside Thomas Johannes Mayer (Mandryka) and Jennifer Davis (Arabella) in Tobias Kratzer's production under the baton of Donald Runnicles.
From 22 March 2025, she will be Klytämnestra in Kirsten Harms' production of Elektra alongside Elena Pankratova (Elektra) and Camilla Nylund (Chrysothemis), among others, under the musical direction of Thomas Søndergård.
Further information and performance dates:
www.deutscheoperberlin.de/ ... (Arabella)
www.deutscheoperberlin.de/ ... (Elektra)
A career in the labyrinth - major TV portrait
Don't miss it!The Munich film director Mark von Seydlitz has produced a film about Doris Soffel on behalf of ARD and SWR.
The film shows Doris Soffel as an exceptional singer, born in Hechingen in 1948, she has been on stage for 50 years. The film portrays the mezzo-soprano and allows prominent colleagues to have their say.
Film link:
www.ardmediathek.de/...
Unique!
This week we celebrate an artist with whom we have been working for 25 years: Doris Soffel is not only celebrating a special birthday (which, however, we do not name, as befits such a great artist), but can now also look back on a career of more than 50 years, which has taken her to all the great houses and festivals, with an evolution from coloratura mezzo to the dramatic parts of her craft. Simply unique, simply La Soffel!And the best... she goes on and on! We look forward to her return to the Palau de les Arts in Valencia, the Semperoper Dresden, the Bayerische Staatsoper Munich, the Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Theatre de la Monnaie, to name but a few theatres.
Representative of many great moments in Doris' career, here are two links to recordings with Joan Sutherland (Norma, 1985) and Thomas Johannes Mayer (Walküre, DNO, 2013).
Norma, 1985
Die Walküre, 2013
The Austrian radio is also dedicating a portrait to Doris Soffel this week. You can find it online via the livestream of Ö1:
Livestream Ö1
Media
Images
Photo: Miguel Lorenzo-Mikel Ponze
Nun: Michèle Loisier

Photo: Boris Streubel
Download available

Photo: Boris Streubel
Download available

Photo: Boris Streubel
Download available

Photo: Boris Streubel
Download available

Photo: Jakob Hoff

Photo: Michael Pöhn

Photo: Hösl

Photo: LIeberenz

Photo: Javierdereal

Photo: Brescia
Video:
ard-Mediathek: Doris Soffel, Mezzosopran - Eine Karriere im Labyrinth
Press
Dialogues de Carmelites / Les Arts Valencia/ 05.02.2025 / seenandheard-international.com
"Veteran Doris Soffel was an excellent Madame de Croissy or First Prioress. The scene of her death was striking from beginning to end and was recognized as such by the audience"
Dialogues de Carmelites / Les Arts Valencia / concertonet.com
"Well into her seventies, German mezzo Doris Soffel, a leading Amgelina (La Cerentola), Rosina (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Isabella (L´Italiana in Algeri) and Dorabella (Così fan tutte) decades ago, masterfully incarnated the old Prioress. Her acting was so convincing that she left a haunting impression of one´s ultimate hour. Her diction was excellent [...]"
Dialogues de Carmelites / Les Arts Valencia / 29.01.2025 / proopera.org
"[...]Doris Soffel lieferte eine bewegende Vorstellung als Madame de Croissy[...]"
Dialogues de Carmelites / Les Arts Valencia / 26.01.2025 / valencianews.es
"Beim Gesang stach vor allem die deutsche Altistin Doris Soffel hervor."
La Fiamma / Deutsche Oper Berlin / 30.09.2024 / onlinemerker.de
"In der ersten Liga an Interpretinnen darf die verehrte Doris Soffel nicht vergessen werden. Als der Hexerei überführte Agnese di Cervia zeigt sie einmal mehr, wie man Charakterrollen auch mit mmer noch üppigsten Stimmmitteln und ebenso packender Expressivität ausstatten kann."
La Fiamma / Deutsche Oper Berlin / 30.09.2024 / nmz.de
"Ausdruck nicht als Druck, sondern als Gestaltung der gesanglichen Linie. Etwas auch, womit [...] natürlich auch Doris Soffel , Grande Dame des Hauses, als Agnese [etwas anzufangen weiß].
La Fiamma / Deutsche Oper Berlin / 01.10.2024 / deropernfreund.de
"Daneben gab es im großen Ensemble allerdings eine Reihe beachtlicher Stimmen: [...], die unverwüstliche, hochkarätige Sängerdarstellerin Doris Soffel sang eine geradezu sensationelle Agnese di Cervia [...]"
La Fiamma / Deutsche Oper Berlin / 30.09.2024 / deropernfreund.de
"Höchst eindrucksvoll ist auch der Auftritt von Doris Soffel als Agnese mit schonungslosem stimmlichen wie darstellerischem Einsatz."
La Fiamma / Deutsche Oper Berlin / 30.09.2024 / klassik-begeistert.de
"Im ersten Akt kann einmal mehr die unverwüstliche Doris Soffel mit der Episodenrolle der Agnese di Cervia überzeugen. Großes Können kennt einfach kein Alter.
Pique Dame / Deutsche Oper Berlin / 09.03.2024 / oper-online.de
"Die Gräfin von Doris Soffel überzeugt nicht nur in der Darstellung einer noch lebendig-lebensfähigen, reifen Frau, sondern die Sängerdarstellerin singt die Partie zugleich auch mit Leuchtkraft und äußerst disziplinierter Präzision wie es gleichsam ein kunstvoller und durchsichtiger Oratorien-oder Liedgesang erforderte."
Interview mit Doris Soffel / Meine Musik. Klassik garantiert subjektiv / 19.03.2024 / rbbkultur
"rbb-online.de/rbbkultur
Arabella / Deutsche Oper Berlin / 22.03.2023 / welt.de
"[...] Doris Soffel ist als superb ihre Sentenzen platzierende Mama [...] eine Wucht an Präsenz und Charaktertiefenschärfe"
Pique Dame / Osterfestspielen Baden-Baden / 11.04.22 / swr.de
"Doris Soffel in Pique Dame: Ein Höhepunkt in 50 Jahren Karriere"
Pique Dame / Berliner Philharmonker / 22.04.22 / tagesspiegel.de
"Doris Soffel liefert voll Sing- und Spiellust eine Charakterstudie der uralten, glamourös-misanthropischen Gräfin ab"
Pique Dame / Baden-Baden Berliner Philharmonker / 10.04.22 / die-deutsche-buehne.de
"Und Doris Soffel gibt die alte Gräfin [...] mit finsterer Dämonie."
Pique Dame / Baden-Baden Berliner Philharmonker / 09.04.22 / magazin.klassik.com
"Doris Soffel überrascht als Gräfin mit satt ausgesungenem, tief lotendem Gesang und beschränkt sich keineswegs, wie andere ehedem grosse Mezzosoprane, aufs blosse Markieren."
Salome / DNO Amsterdam / 06.02.22 / trouw.nl
"Doris Soffel is able to draw attention to herself. When she is singing, but also when she is silent. Pure class."
Salome / DNO Amsterdam / 07.02.22 / opernmagazin.nl
"Doris Soffel zeigte, dass Sie an satirischer Expressivität und stimmlicher Kraft nichts eingebüßt hat. Kolossal, wie ihre Stimme den ganzen Raum füllte."
Salome / DNO Amsterdam / 06.02.22 / operaclick.com
"Doris Soffel è oramai un classico che si impone per la magnetica presenza"
Elektra / Wiener Staatsoper / 10.09.20 / bachtrack.com
"Doris Soffel, wie sie die Rolle gestaltete, die feinen Nuancen zwischen Grössenwahn und Verzweiflung, zwischen Machtlust und Angst interpretierte, das war grosses Kino."
Elektra / Palau de les Arts Valencia / 23.01.20 / codalario.com
"Sin exageraciones, con un dominio absoluto del sprechgesang"
Elektra / Palau de les Arts Valencia / 22.01.20 / operawire.com
"Doris Soffel gave a luxurious interpretation of Klytämnestra"
Oceane / Deutsche Oper Berlin / 29.04.19 / berliner-zeitung.de
"Ironie, Überheblichkeit, Sorge - all das vermittelt diese große Sängerin mit einer reich gefärbten und souverän darstellenden Stimme"
Oceane / Deutsche Oper Berlin / 29.04.19 / nmz.de
"Mit satter Stimmgebung macht Doris Soffel aus der in Jugen-Amouren schwelgenden Wirtin ein stimmiges Psychogramm großen Formats"
Oceane / Deutsche Oper Berlin / 28.04.19 / klassikinfo.de
"leiht dieser Person nicht nur ihren ausdrucksstarken Mezzo, sondern prägt auch eine tragikomische Bühnenfigur mit Format"
Liederabend / Philharmonie Essen / 07.05.18 / waz.de
"raumgreifend, frei schwingend, ohne jede Grelle"
Dialogues des Carmélites / Staatsoper Hamburg / 08.05.17 / opera-online.com
"l'extraordinaire première Prieure (Madame de Croissy) de Doris Soffel"
Elektra / Staatstheater Stuttgart / 26.02.17 / fabiuskulturschockblog.wordpress.com
"Klytämnestra ist nicht nur Doris Soffels Signature Role, es ist schlicht ein Erlebnis!"
Dialogues des Carmélites / De Nationale Opera Amsterdam / 07.11.15 / operalounge.de
"Unvergesslich, unvergleichlich, einfach wahnsinnig"
Salome / BBC Proms / 01.09. 14 / operabritanniauk.wordpress.com
"such astonishing power, richness, precision"
Das Rheingold / Deutsche Oper Berlin / 22.09.13 / konzertkritikopernkritikberlin.wordpress.com
"Kraft, Klang, Erfahrung, Ausdruck in einer Stimme vereint"