In June 2003, Martin Winkler made a memorable debut at the Komische Oper Berlin in the title role of Ligeti's Le Grand Macabre. Born in Bregenz, the bass-baritone studied voice at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna under Walter Berry. He has appeared on guest engagements at Opera Lyon, where he sang the Mad King in Peter Maxwell Davis's monodrama. Additionally he has sung the Father in Hänsel und Gretel at Prague State Opera, Kothner in Wagner's Meistersinger at the Vienna Volksoper, and was invited to Japan to sing Kaspar in Der Freischütz. He has had fixed engagements in Schleswig-Holstein, at Schwerin State Theatre and Komische Oper Berlin. At the Bregenz Festival he sang in David Pountney's staging of Masquerade, in which production he made his debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He has sung in other Bregenz Festival productions, among them Puccini's Tosca by Philipp Himmelmann. Since 2009 he has made his home in Vienna, where, as a member of the ensemble at the Vienna Volksoper, he has performed with success as Dr Bartolo, the prison governor Frank, and Gianni Schicchi among other roles. His wide-ranging repertoire also includes operetta and buffo roles like Don Magnifico in Rossini's Cenerentola, Bartolo in The Barber of Seville and the title role in Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, in all of which he was able to demonstrate his acting abilities.