Stephan Zinner – Cabaret Artist, Musician, Actor: A Portrait with Depth

From Chiemgau to the Big Stages: Why Stephan Zinner Touches People

Stephan Zinner, born on June 26, 1974, in Trostberg, embodies like few other artists the connection between music, cabaret, and acting. His music career began alongside his work on stage; the trained actor's stage presence carries his songs, readings, and cabaret evenings with a mix of playfulness, irony, and empathy. Zinner became known throughout Germany as the long-standing performer of Söder in the legendary Nockherberg Singspiel, as well as "Simmerl" in the Eberhofer crime comedies. Since 2021, he has also been investigating as Commissioner Dennis Eden in Munich's Polizeiruf 110 – a role he fills with earthy charisma and precise timing. His artistic development consistently spans across genre boundaries: from solo cabaret and band concerts to novels and short story publications.

Biography: Foundations of an Independent Artistic Personality

Growing up in upper Bavaria's Trostberg, Zinner completed his acting training at the Zerboni School of Acting in Munich. Early engagements took him to the Salzburg Landestheater and the Munich Kammerspiele – crucial stages that sharpened his sense for ensemble work, timing, and scenic dramaturgy. This solid stage imprint is still noticeable today: whether he is performing music cabaret, reading, or portraying a film role – his appearances feel well-composed, with precisely set punchlines and lovingly drawn characters. At the same time, Zinner remains approachable; his view of everyday life is nourished by experience and self-irony, not by distance.

Career Progression: From Nockherberg to the Eberhofer Universe and Beyond

Zinner gained national attention between 2006 and 2019 as a parodist of Markus Söder at the strong beer tapping at Munich's Nockherberg – a traditional format that requires linguistic finesse, political sensitivity, and musical agility. In cinema, he has been firmly embedded in the ensemble of the Eberhofer crime films since 2013, embodying the butcher Simmerl, a character he infuses with laconic comedy and fine timing. Concurrently, his TV profile grew: roles in formats like Die Chefin, München Mord, and Tatort laid the groundwork for his recurring presence in Polizeiruf 110 from Munich, where he has been acting as Commissioner Dennis Eden since 2021. In 2025, it was announced that he would take on the Lenten sermon at Nockherberg in 2026 – an honor that underscores his authority in cabaret and confirms his bridging position between political satire and music. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephan_Zinner))

Musical Signature: Blues, Bavarian, Ballads – and the Beat of Everyday Life

Zinner's music features blues and country influences without ever becoming a mere stylistic copy. His current program "Der Teufel, das Mädchen, der Blues & Ich" plays with myths of the American South, grounding them in Bavarian everyday life: "Trostberg" becomes "Trosttown," and the intersection transforms into the "Crossroad" of the present. The compositions are intentionally concise – miniatures between groove and guitar sound, leaving space for storytelling. This blend of song and scene, arrangement and anecdote, infuses his evenings with both dynamism and intimacy. Reviews highlight this very connection: the subtle observations, the "well-tempered rage," and the vulnerable moments when Zinner sings about impermanence and family. ([fr.de](https://www.fr.de/ratgeber/medien/stephan-zinner-premiere-neues-programm-muenchen-kritik-zr-91805754.html?utm_source=openai))

Discography: From Early "Zinner Sings" to "Relatively Simple"

His discography documents a continuous musical evolution. Early releases like "Zinner sings" (2006) and "Zinner tanzt (live)" (2007) already showcased the urge to intertwine cabaret, chanson, and rock. These were followed by "Der Fluch des Pharao" (2012) and "Wuide Zeit" (2014), before "relativ simpel" (2017) impressed with a more mature, narratively dense tonality. Streaming platforms categorize Zinner under Comedy/Chanson; individual tracks like "Was bleibt" or "Heimat" demonstrate the balance of wit, melancholy, and memorable hooks. These pieces are less aimed at charts and more at long-lasting impact: they build characters, create images, and leave phrases that resonate in the mind. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephan_Zinner))

Cabaret Programs: Punchlines with Attitude, Humor with Heart

As a solo cabaret artist, Zinner developed programs like "Family Business," "Fluch des Pharao," "Wilde Zeiten," "relativ simpel," and "Raritäten." What they have in common is a clear stance and a tonal spectrum ranging from quiet observation to sharply honed punchlines. In his current blues program, he condenses this handwriting: The groove carries the gags, the Bavarian dialect polishes the punchlines, and time and again a song opens up space for contemplation. His artistic development shows maturity here: Zinner relies on economy in form – short songs, concise transitions, strong images – achieving a lasting impact on his audience. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephan_Zinner))

Literature & Readings: "Prachtexemplar" and the Art of Everyday Stories

In addition to the stage and studio, Zinner has discovered paper as a playground. Following "Flugmango" (2015) and "Die Badewanne des Todes" (2018), the short stories "Prachtexemplar: Geschichten zwischen Bühne, Baumarkt und Familientisch" were published in 2024. In it, he merges the comedic timing of cabaret with the precision of a chronicler of everyday life. The narrative tone shifts from warmly rough to quietly melancholic, with the characters remaining empathetically drawn. In 2025/2026, Zinner will tour with musically accompanied readings of "Prachtexemplar" across the German-speaking region – events that organically intertwine literature, music, and cabaret. ([stephanzinner.de](https://www.stephanzinner.de/buch?utm_source=openai))

Acting: Precision in Film and Television

In cinema, Zinner is part of the "Eberhofer" main cast; on television, he has expanded his repertoire from episodic guest roles to prominent investigator characters. Especially in Munich's Polizeiruf 110, he benefits from his ability to outline social and psychological contours in just a few scenes. Productions like "Querschuss," "Die Chefin," and "München Mord" document his versatility between humor and hardness, between laconic comedy and grim authenticity – always driven by linguistic sensibility, physicality, and musical rhythm. Agency and broadcaster confirmations emphasize ongoing filming and broadcasts, underscoring the continuity of his screen career. ([agentur-heppeler.de](https://www.agentur-heppeler.de/de/schauspieler/stephan_zinner))

Awards and Recognition: Authority Through Quality

Zinner has been awarded multiple times for his cabaret and stage work. The Special Prize of the German Cabaret Award (2016) honored his distinctive voice in German small arts. The Bavarian Cabaret Award (Music Prize, 2019) – shared with Hannes Ringlstetter – highlighted the musicality and the song-dramaturgical sensibility of both. There are also TV nominations and regional cultural honors that make visible his range between music, literature, and acting. His appointment as the Lenten preacher at Nockherberg 2026 is interpreted by the scene not only as a knighthood but also as a signal that Zinner's blend of musicality, satirical precision, and warmth strikes a societal nerve. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephan_Zinner))

Style and Influence: Between Blues Narrative and Bavarian Laconicism

Zinner's understanding of genre follows moods rather than categories. Composition and arrangement remain accessible – guitars, harmonica, occasional brass colors – but the semantic focus lies on the text. His Bavarian dialect is formative, never exclusionary; it lends texture and rhythm to the stories. In the production of his albums, he has consistently sought an analog, warm sound that allows room for voice and language. Culturally, he acts as a translator: he brings global motifs (blues, road, myth) back to Upper Bavaria, grounding them in the here and now, and retelling them anew – an approach that convinces both the feuilleton and the audience. ([fr.de](https://www.fr.de/ratgeber/medien/stephan-zinner-premiere-neues-programm-muenchen-kritik-zr-91805754.html?utm_source=openai))

Current Projects: Tours, Readings, TV Work

Between 2024 and 2026, Zinner focuses his activities on three axes: first, the musical reading tour for "Prachtexemplar"; second, the ongoing music cabaret "Der Teufel, das Mädchen, der Blues & Ich"; third, ongoing filming and broadcasts surrounding Munich's Polizeiruf 110 as well as other film and TV engagements. Organizer and publisher pages continuously list new dates – an indication of stable demand. Additionally, the Nockherberg Lenten sermon in 2026 is already generating public attention and fueling anticipation for Zinner's pointed Lenten speech. ([penguin.de](https://www.penguin.de/empfehlungen/events/88380-stephan-zinner-lesung-mit-musik-mit-stephan-zinner?utm_source=openai))

Conclusion: Why You Should Experience Stephan Zinner Live

Stephan Zinner combines experience, expertise, and trustworthiness: his music career and cabaret are not parallel worlds but interconnected vessels. Those who experience him live sense this interplay – the craftsmanship of the actor, the musicianship of the songwriter, the humor of the cabaret artist. His evenings are energizing but never loud; intelligent but never preachy. If you're looking for an artist who sings stories, combines wit with warmth, and gives everyday life a distinctive groove, you should bring Zinner to the stage – or go see him yourself. The best time is now.

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Stephan Zinner