Joachim Bäckström

The Swedish tenor Joachim Bäckström has begun this season with Don José in Carmen in Gothenburg. This spring Joachim will add a new role to his repertoire, when he sings Siegmund in Die Walküre at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm. This will be followed by the same role at the Finland National Opera in May.

Joachim Bäckström has last season appeared as Erik in Der fliegende Holländer at the Finland National Opera as well as Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana and Michel in Martinů’s Trois fragments de Juliette, both at the Göteborg Opera.

Joachim has previously sung Grigory in Boris Godunov, Laertes in Thomas’ Hamlet and Theseus in Dove’s The Monster in the Maze at the Göteborg Opera. He has been a guest at Wuppertaler Bühnen where he appeared as Don José in Carmen, a role he performed with great success the season before in Gothenburg. In 2017 Joachim won great acclaim for his interpretation of Hoffmann in Les contes d’Hoffmann at Musiktheater im Revier in Gelsenkirchen.

Joachim Bäckström has appeared as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte at Le Grand Théâtre de Genève, and the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen and with the same role he made his Royal Swedish Opera debut. Joachim has sung Don José at the Finland National Opera, the Royal Danish Opera, Opera Østfold, Norway and at the Malmö Opera. At the Malmö Opera he has also performed the roles of des Grieux in Massenet’s Manon, Rodolfo in La Bohème and Roméo in Roméo et Juliette, Tamino, Spalanzani in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly, Steva in Jenufa as well as Cavaradossi in a chamber version of Tosca on tour. Joachim has sung Atis in Joseph Martin Krauss’ Proserpin at Musikfestspiele Potsdam Sanssouci and Duca in Rigoletto, which he performed at NorrlandsOperan in Sweden.

Joachim Bäckström studied at the Royal Danish Opera Academy in Copenhagen and made his debut in January 2010 as Don José at the Royal Danish Opera.  

Joachim Bäckström has received scholarships and awards like Birgit Nilsson, Christina Nilsson, Jussi Björling Society, Oscar Crawford, Odd Fellow and Idella Foundation. 

"Joachim Bäckström captivated as Don José in only his second role at the Gothenburg Opera (...). His bright tenor sounded like a clarion all the way to the top notes, but was equally capable of sublime emotion in ‘La fleur que tu m’avais jetée’. Mr Bäckström’s acting explored the contradictions of Don José’s character, with flashes of his jealous and violent side showing before the terrifying eruptions of the last two acts, but also a believable understanding of the sense of duty that so bitterly disappoints Carmen in Act II"

Niklas Smith - Seen and Heard International, Dec 12 2016

January 2020