Ralf Popken

{{short description|German countertenor (born 1962)}}

Ralf Popken (born 1962) is a German countertenor. He studied choral conducting, recorder, and singing at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hannover and has since performed in concerts across Europe and the USA. He has made numerous radio recordings for Norddeutscher Rundfunk, Westdeutscher Rundfunk, and Dutch and Swiss radios and is noted for singing Bach cantatas. He debuted in opera at the Staatsoper Hannover in Hannover in 1989.{{cite web|url=http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Popken-Ralf.htm|title=Ralf Popken (Counter-tenor)|publisher=Bach Cantatas|accessdate=12 May 2013}} His performances have included the premiere of Medeamaterial by Pascal Dusapin in 1991{{cite book|last=Rickards|first=Steven L|title=Twentieth-century countertenor repertoire|year=2008|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=9780810862166|page=86}} and a role in the musical Chicago at the Theater an der Wien and the Berlin Theater des Westens.{{cite web|url=http://www.naxos.com/person/Ralf_Popken/11212.htm|accessdate=13 May 2013|title=Ralf Popken|publisher=Naxos}} He now teaches voice at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater.{{cite web|url=http://www.hmtm-hannover.de/en/university/teachers/|accessdate=13 May 2013|title=Teachers|publisher=HMTM Hannover}} He has also conducted the NDR Chor, Vocalconsort Berlin, and ChorWerk Ruhr.