biography 

Ted Schmitz is a tenor currently living in Berlin.  Highlights include his work with Seattle Opera, Opera Bellas Artes Mexico City, Nico and the Navigators, Bregenzer Festspiele, Aldeburgh Festival, Glyndebourne and The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

In the 2018/2019 season Mr Schmitz sang REVERAND ADAMS in Peter Grimes at Palau de les Arts, Valencia; ACHANTE in the American premiere of Rameau’s Sympathy with Victory Hall Opera.  Mr. Schmitz has also sung a central role in four productions with the international ensemble, Nico and the Navigators: Niemand Stirbt in der Mitte seines Lebens, a staged concert of pre-existing works based on the theme of death, at Konzerthaus Berlin, Radialsystem Berlin;  Silent Songs, an all-Schubert staged concert, performing at BOZAR, Brussels; Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Staatstheater Oldenburug; Staatstheater Braunschweig; Konzerthaus Berlin; Radialsystem Berlin and Arsenal de Metz; Die Zukunft von Gestern, a new production at Sophiensaele Berlin and Radialsystem Berlin; and Die Stunde da wir zu viel von einander wussten, a new production at Kampnagel Hamburg, Radialsystem Berlin, and Opera Nimes and Theatre d’Antibes.

In 2020/2021 season, Ted will perform and devise two new works with the Nico and the Navigators: Empathy for the Devil, a staged concert at the Konzerthaus Berlin with the Konzerthaus Orchester and at BOZAR, Brussels with the National Orchestra of Belgium and Force and Freedom, an all Beethoven staged work with the Kuss Quartet at the Esterhazy Palace and Berlin Radialsystem. With the Navigators, Mr. Schmitz will also perform Silent Songs, the all-Schubert staged concert, at Shanghai Concert Hall.

Other recent engagements include cover the role of TAPIOCA L’Étoile, Royal Opera House Covent Garden and the role of the WITCH OF ENDOR in Händel’s Saul for the Glyndebourne Festival. DER WIRT and both HAUSHOFMEISTER in Der Rosenkavalier with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Andris Nelsons, cover of PETER QUINT The Turn of the Screw with Glyndebourne on Tour, WILHELM MEISTER Mignon with New Sussex Opera, REVERAND ADAMS in the Chinese premiere of Peter Grimes National Centre for the Performing Arts Beijing, multiple roles of ACHMET, CROOK, and THE GRAND INQUISITOR in Bernstein’s Candide with MDR Orchestra in Leipzig, Britten’s Serenade for Tenor Horn and Strings with the North York Moors Festival, TAPIOCA in L’Étoile with New Sussex Opera and GASTONE in La Traviata with Opera Project, and REMENDADO in Carmen with the Cambridge Philharmonic.  Ted was recently featured in new recording of Ethyl Smyth’s The Boatswain’s Mate with Retrospect Opera. 

Mr. Schmitz has had much success with the role of ASCHENBACH in Britten’s Death in Venice performed with Opera de Bellas Artes Mexico City and covered with the Aldeburgh Festival.  Mr. Schmitz also performed the role of HOTEL PORTER in Death in Venice with Aldeburgh and Bregenzer Festspiele under the direction of Yoshii Oida.

Other opera credits include: DON BASILIO and DON CURZIO in Le Nozze di Figaro with Seattle Opera. PETER QUINT The Turn of the Screw, and DR. CAIUS Falstaff, FERRANDO Cosi fan tutte, TAMINO The Magic Flute all as a Young Artist with Seattle Opera. JOHANSSON in Die Gespenstersonate by Aribert Reimann with Kammer Oper Vienna; DAVID Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg with the Mastersingers Company London; DR. CAIUS Falstaff with Mid-Wales Opera; TAMINO The Magic Flute with Opera Brava; and FERRANDO Cosi fan tutte with Castleward Opera, TELEMACO Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria at the Globe Theatre London with the Britten-Pears Programme; MARS in Gilbert & Sullivan’s Thespis London Kensington Sinfonia; and a West End season of Gilbert & Sullivan at the Gielgud Theatre.  

Mr. Schmitz has premiered songs by Ned Rorem and John Musto with the New York Festival of Song.  Other concert credits include Les Noces (Stravinsky) and Paukenmesse (Haydn) with the Auckland Philharmonic in New Zealand, Elijah at Birmingham Town Hall with the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra, Beethoven Symphony No. 9 with the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra, and the title role in Saint Nicolas (Britten) with the New Elizabethan Singers. 

Beginning his studies as both an actor and singer at Northwestern University, Mr. Schmitz continued on to complete degrees there and at the Manhattan School of Music.  Ted furthered his work and training in the Young Artist Programs of Central City Opera, Britten-Pears Programme, Opera Theatre of St Louis as well as Seattle Opera.