KS Dalia
Schaechter

Israeli-born mezzo-soprano Dalia Schaechter has lived and worked in Cologne since 1995, where she has become an established figure in the city’s musical life. After studying at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich, she joined the studio of the Vienna State Opera (1988–1990). Claudio Abbado soon became aware of her talent and invited her to perform in a number of concerts under his baton. Dalia Schaechter has appeared, among others, at the Vienna State Opera, the Berlin State Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Théâtre de Châtelet in Paris, the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, as well as at the Salzburg Festival and the Bayreuth Festival.

At the Cologne Opera, she developed into the dramatic mezzo-soprano repertoire, performing a wide range of roles. These include Lady Macbeth in Verdi’s "Macbeth", Josefa Miranda in Peter Eötvös’ "Love and Other Demons", Amneris in "Aida", Preziosilla in "La forza del destino", Klytämnestra in "Elektra", and Fricka and Waltraute in Wagner’s "Der Ring des Nibelungen", to name but a few. She also performed the latter two roles during the Cologne Opera’s guest performances at the Shanghai Grand Theatre in China.

Guest engagements have taken her to Bologna, Palermo, the Bavarian State Opera in Munich (Herodias in "Salome"), Tel Aviv, Wiesbaden and Saarbrücken. At the 2017 Bregenz Festival she appeared in the world premiere of Zesses Seglias’ "To the Lighthouse", and in early 2018 she performed the role of Auntie in Britten’s "Peter Grimes" in Valencia. She has also appeared as Azucena in "Il trovatore" at Staatstheater Nürnberg.

Alongside her operatic career, Dalia Schaechter has devoted many years to the folk song tradition. Her recital series "A Liedele in Jiddisch – ein Klezmerabend mit Suppenhuhn", "Lieder und Liedele – ein Dialog zwischen jiddischen und deutschen Volksliedern", and the multicultural evening "Fremde unter Fremden" have enjoyed particular success with Cologne audiences and earned widespread recognition for their artistic and social significance. In 2023, she created the musical revue "Warschau – New York – Tel Aviv" at Theater am Bauturm.

Most recently at Cologne Opera, she appeared as Herodias in "Salome", the Witch Jezibaba in "Rusalka", Emma Jones in "Street Scene", Queen Gertrude in the German premiere of Brett Dean’s "Hamlet", Lea / Rachel in the world premiere of "Mazeltov, Rachel’e", Brigitta in Korngold’s "Die tote Stadt", the Witch Jezibaba in "Rusalka", the Witch in "Hänsel und Gretel", Behemoth the Cat in York Höller’s "Der Meister und Margarita", and in the Viennese evening "Im Prater blüh’n wieder die Bäume".

Since the 22/23 season, her repertoire at Cologne Opera has included Hécube in "Les Troyens", Mary in "Der fliegende Holländer", Klytämnestra in "Elektra", Auntie in "Peter Grimes", as well as appearances in the world premieres of "The Strangers" and "INES". She has also appeared at the Berlin State Opera as the Sacristan in "Jenůfa" and at Oper Zürich as Herodias in "Salome". She has sung Kabanicha in "Katja Kabanova" at Theater Bielefeld and Staatstheater Kassel. In January 2025, she appeared as Nell in György Kurtág’s "Fin de Partie" at the Berlin State Opera. In the same year, she celebrated her 30th anniversary as a member of the Cologne Opera ensemble.

During the 25/26 season, she directed and performed in "Aidas Rivalin", a co-production with Theater im Bauturm.

In the 26/27 season, she will appear as Annina in Richard Strauss’ "Der Rosenkavalier", the opening production marking Cologne Opera’s return to Offenbachplatz. She will also perform the role of Jezibaba in Dvořák’s "Rusalka" in Nadja Loschky’s production and Háta (Agnes) in "The Bartered Bride", directed by Laurent Pelly and presented in co-production with Teatro Real, Opéra national de Lyon and Théâtre Royal de La Monnaie. At the Cologne Children’s Opera, she will perform the roles of Photographer / Servant / Death in the world premiere of Philipp Matthias Kaufmann’s "Der König verschenkt was", a commissioned work written to celebrate the opening of the newly built, one-of-a-kind Children’s Opera at Offenbachplatz.

Since 2008, Dalia Schaechter has held the title of Kammersängerin of the City of Cologne.