Ute Trekel-Burckhardt

Ute Trekel-Burckhardt (born 3 November 1939) is a German operatic mezzo-soprano. She was a long-time lead soloist of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in East Berlin (later: Berlin State Opera). She took part in world premieres such as Noch einen Löffel Gift, Liebling? by Siegfried Matthus and Heinrich Sutermeister's Le Roi Bérenger. Even before the fall of the Berlin Wall, she appeared internationally, including the Vienna State Opera in her signature role, the tile role of Der Rosenkavalier, and at Opéra de Nancy in Schönberg's Erwartung.

Born in Pirna, Trekel-Burckhardt studied at the Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" with Rita Meinl-Weise. She made her stage debut in 1963 at the Komische Oper Berlin as Page in Salome by Richard Strauss in a production by Götz Friedrich. In 1972, she participated in the world premiere of Noch einen Löffel Gift, Liebling? by Siegfried Matthus to a libretto by Peter Hacks. In 1975 she became a member of the ensemble of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden and also worked as a guest at the Staatsoper Dresden.

Trekel-Burckhardt interpreted all the great mezzo-soprano and contralto roles of the repertoire. One of her signature roles was Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss. She also appeared in the title role of Bizet's Carmen, as Amneris in Verdis Aida and Eboli in Don Carlo. She performed as Sesto in Mozart's La clemenza di Tito.