Michael Volle is one of the foremost German baritones. He has been a student of the distinguished singers Josef Metternich and Rudolf Piernay and has won various singing competitions including the CIEM in Geneva and the Neue Stimmen in Gütersloh.

First permanent engagement in 1990 at the National Theatre in Mannheim, followed by engagements  at  the Opera House in Bonn and the Deutsche Oper am Rhein Düsseldorf. Engaged by Günther Krämer for the Cologne Opera -1999/2000 and 2000/2001 seasons - for roles like Eugen Onegin, Billy Budd, Ford/Falstaff, Count/Le Nozze di Figaro. The Dresden State Opera engaged Michael Volle for Don Giovanni, the Hamburg State Opera for Le Nozze di Figaro/Count and Tannhäuser/ Wolfram (2006/2007), the Deutsche Oper Berlin for Le Nozze di Figaro, the Berlin State Opera for Don Giovanni/ title role and for the new production of Ariadne auf Naxos. In 1996 debut at the Opéra National de Paris with the role of Heerrufer/ Lohengrin. Guest appearances at La Scala di Milano with Oedipus Rex, in Torino, Théâtre de la Monnaie Brussels, 2000/ 2001, Falstaff/Ford under Antonio Pappano and Le Nozze di Figaro in 2001, Vienna State Opera: Le Nozze di Figaro/ Count, Don Giovanni/title role, Seiji Ozawa conducting. In 1997 debut at the Royal Opera House London with the role of Heerrufer/Lohengrin under Valery Gergiev,  Le Nozze di Figaro/Count under Sir Colin Davis in 2006, Salome/Jochanaan under Philippe Jordan (2008), Lulu/Dr. Schön (new production, 2009) and Tristan und Isolde/Kurwenal, new production under Antonio Pappano (2009/2010 season).

For the Schwetzingen Festival Michael Volle interpreted the title role of Don Giovanni (leading team: Hengelbrock/Freyer) which was telecasted by ARTE and performed at the Opéra du Rhin. Salzburg Festival 1998: Fidelio/Minister under Michael Gielen and in 2005 Magic Flute/Sprecher (Riccardo Muti) and new production Die Gezeichneten/Tamare (leading team: Nagano/Lehnhoff). Baden-Baden Festival 2007: Falstaff/Ford. Bayreuth Festival 2007: Die Meistersinger von Nürn-berg/Beckmesser with re-invitation for 2008.

Since 1999/2000 contract with the Zurich Opera. 2003/2004 season: role debut as Beckmesser/Die Meistersinger von Nürn-berg (leading team: Welser-Möst/Lehnhoff) and Eugen Onegin/title role under Vladimir Fedosseyev). 2004/2005 season: new production Pelléas et Mélisande/Golaud. 2005/2006 season: new production of La Bohème/Marcello; 2006/2007: new productions Ariadne auf Naxos/Musiklehrer, Le Nozze di Figaro/Count and revival of Parsifal/Amfortas. Munich State Opera, debut in 2001, new production of The Cunning Little Vixen. Since then he is a regular performer of this house and beginning with the 2007/2008 season Michael Volle is a regular member of this company (new productions: 2007/2008 Eugen Onegin/ title role, Die Bassariden/Pentheus, 2008/2009: Wozzeck/title role, Palestrina/Giovanni Morone).

Michael Volle dedicates also a great part of his career to Lied-recitals and concert appearances with important conductors such as Zubin Mehta (Carmina Burana, Israel Philharmonic), Maurizio Pollini (Santa Cecilia Rome), Seiji Ozawa (St. Matthew’s Passion, Japan), Charles Dutoit, Riccardo Muti, Marcello Viotti, Franz Welser-Möst, Antonio Pappano, Claus-Peter Flor (Munich Philharmonic, Berlin and Milan), Barcelona, Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, Lawrence Foster, Marek Janowski (Dresden Philharmonic), Philippe Herreweghe (Concertgebouw Amsterdam). Dresden Staatskapelle, tour to Japan, Brahms-Requiem, James Conlon, April 2002. Munich Philharmonic, James Levine (2002 and 2003) with re-invi-tation for the 2005/2006 season (Carmina Burana, Ion Marin), Kent Nagano (DSO Berlin and Montréal Symphony, 2006). Bavarian Radio: War Requiem, Rostropowitch (2000), Elias, Wolfgang Sawallisch (2001), Thomas Hengelbrock (2006) and Mariss Jansons (London, PROMS, 2007 and Munich, 2008).