Karen Rettinghaus

The soprano Karen Rettinghaus was born in Cuxhaven. After completing a diploma in flute at the Hochschule für Musik Lübeck, she went on to study voice at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin. She broadened her training in song, concert and opera through masterclasses with, among others, Julia Varady, Wolfram Rieger, Thomas Quasthoff, Norma Fantini and Jonathan Morris.

While still a student and as a scholarship holder of the Richard Wagner Association, she was engaged by the Staatsoper Berlin, where she appeared regularly as a soloist over a period of three years, including in Verdi’s »Don Carlos«, Puccini’s »Tosca«, Berg’s »Lulu« and Schreker’s »Der ferne Klang«. Further solo engagements have taken her to the Deutsche Oper, Komische Oper and Konzerthaus Berlin, Theater Basel, Staatstheater Cottbus and the Schlosstheater Rheinsberg.

From 2006 to 2012 she was a member of the ensemble at the Komische Oper Berlin, where she sang many of the central roles in her repertoire, including Susanna in Mozart’s »Le nozze di Figaro«, Ännchen in Weber’s »Der Freischütz«, Mi in Lehár’s »Das Land des Lächelns«, Antonia in Offenbach’s »Les Contes d’Hoffmann« and Marzelline in Beethoven’s »Fidelio«. In total she appeared in 36 different roles, working closely with directors such as Peter Konwitschny, Andreas Homoki, Barrie Kosky, Philipp Himmelmann and Jetske Mijnssen. Collaborations with conductors including Kent Nagano, Mikhail Jurowski, Kirill Petrenko, Michael Gielen and Fabio Luisi have taken her to major international venues in Valencia, Zurich, Paris and Tokyo.

Since 2018, Karen Rettinghaus has been a permanent member of the Rundfunkchor Berlin and continues to appear as a song and concert soloist with a wide-ranging repertoire.