Jakob Mahase, a 30-year-old Irish bass-baritone, recently completed his Master’s in Vocal Performance at the renowned Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Wien in Austria. With a rich, powerful voice, his repertoire spans from Mozart’s lyricism to Wagner’s dramatic intensity. He studies with the celebrated Austrian bass Kurt Rydl.

Jakob has performed across Ireland, the UK, the US, Austria, and Germany, taking on roles such as Guglielmo in Così fan tutte with Flatpack Opera in Manchester, and appearing at the Blackwater Opera Festival in productions like L’Italiana in Algeri, Don Pasquale, and Gianni Schicchi. He has collaborated extensively with Irish National Opera, performing in their professional chorus and later joining their Young Artist Scheme.

As a soloist, Jakob has demonstrated his versatility with performances such as the baritone solo in Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs, the bass solo in The St. John Passion with Trinity College Choral Society, and Weihnachtsoratorium with the TU Wien Orchestra. His concert repertoire includes Vaughan Williams’ Songs of Travel and Brahms’ Vier ernste Gesänge.

While continuing his studies in Vienna under Sebastian Vitucci, Jakob has appeared in university productions as Kruschina in Smetana’s Die verkaufte Braut and Miracle in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann. Beyond the university stage, he performed the title role in Don Pasquale with Opera Bohemia Wien.

In 2023, Jakob was an Emerging Artist with the Institute for Young Dramatic Voices and a Wagner Scholar with The American Wagner Society, training under mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick. He was also a semi-finalist in the 2024 Belvedere International Singing Competition.

This summer, Jakob joined Garsington Opera’s Alvarez Young Artist Program, where he performed Peter Quince in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Jakob was a finalist in the Meistersinger Competition, focusing on young voices specializing in Wagnerian repertoire. He will compete in the semifnal of the Hans Staud Competition later in the year.

In 2025, Jakob Mahase will sing the role of Peter Quince with Blackwater Valley Opera Festival in their production of A Midsummer Nights Dream. He will also return to Garsington Opera as a member of the Alvarez Young Artist Program where he will sing the role of Don Fernando in Beethoven’s Fidelio.