Christian Gerhaher (born 24 July 1969, in Straubing) is a German baritone and bass singer in opera and concert, particularly known as a Lieder singer.Christian Gerhaher mit Rheingau Musikpreis ausgezeichnet Deutscher Kulturrat, 5 December 2009
Career Christian Gerhaher studied with Paul Kuën and Raimund Grumbach at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München, and Lied with Friedemann Berger, already together with his accompanist for decades to come, Gerold Huber. He took master classes with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (whose voice Gerhaher's remarkably resembles), Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Inge Borkh.Christian Gerhaher on Bach Cantatas website
He was a member of the opera in Würzburg from 1998 to 2000, performing in Thomas Hengelbrock's production of Così fan tutte, in Weber's Der Freischütz with the Cappella Coloniensis, and Papageno in Achim Freyer's staging of The Magic Flute. a role that he sang as his debut at the Salzburg Festival in 2006. In 2005 he portrayed the title role of Monteverdi's L'Orfeo at the Oper Frankfurt where he appeared as Wolfram in Wagner's Tannhäuser in 2007.
In concert he has collaborated with Helmuth Rilling, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Neville Marriner, Philippe Herreweghe, Heinz Holliger and Trevor Pinnock, among others.
Gerhaher has performed and recorded Lieder with pianist Gerold Huber, such as Schubert's Winterreise, Die schöne Müllerin, Schwanengesang and Gesänge des Harfners. His Schubert album Abendbilder with Gerold Huber won a Gramophone Award for Solo vocal in 2006. More songs with piano or chamber ensemble have included Brahms' Vier ernste Gesänge and Martin's Jedermann Monologues, Mahler's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen and Kindertotenlieder. He participated in the project Terezín / Theresienstadt of Anne Sofie von Otter to record songs written in the concentration camp of Terezín.Terezin/Theresienstadt CD review of Tim Ashley in The Guardian, 14 September 2007 Supported by her pianist Bengt Forsberg (also accordion, guitar and double bass) and his, Gerold Huber, Bebe Risenfors (accordion, guitar), Ib Hausmann (clarinet), Philip Dukes (viola), Josephine Knight (cello) and Daniel Hope (violin) they perform music written in the concentration camp by the artists Ilse Weber, Karel Švenk, Adolf Strauss, Martin Roman, Hans Krása, Carlo S. Taube, Viktor Ullmann and Pavel Haas.Terezin/Theresienstadt review of Steve Arloff in MusicWeb International
With Rilling and his Gächinger Kantorei he appeared at the 70th birthday concert in 200329. mai 2003 • 70. geburtstag Helmuth Rilling and recorded Bach's Mass in B minor and Christmas Oratorio and Britten's War Requiem, among others.Discography Christian Gerhaher Gasteig Munich
In 2009, he was awarded the Rheingau Musik Preis of the Rheingau Musik Festival.Christian Gerhaher mit Rheingau Musikpreis 2009 ausgezeichnet Hochschule für Musik und Theater München (in German) Rheingau Musik Festival 2009 He appeared at the festival in 2010 with Gerold Huber to celebrate Gustav Mahler's 150th birthday, singing Sieben Lieder aus letzter Zeit (Seven Songs of Latter Days) and from Das Lied von der Erde the movements Der Einsame im Herbst (The lonely one in Autumn) and Der Abschied (The Farewell). In 2011 they performed the composer's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Des Knaben Wunderhorn and Kindertotenlieder.Ein "Star für Kenner" / RMF I Der Bariton Christian Gerhaher im Gespräch und bei einem Liederabend Axel Zibulski, Wiesbadener Kurier 23 July 2011
In 2010, he was awarded the Midem special prize "male vocalist".Biographie / Christian Gerhaher – Bariton SONY
He had his debut at Covent Garden London in 2010 in Richard Wagner's opera Tannhäuser and received the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera for his performance as Wolfram in March 2011.Gerhaher wins outstanding achievement in opera olivierawards.com 2011
He is a professor in the Hochschule für Musik und Theater, München.
Selected recordings Franz Schubert: Winterreise, piano: Gerold Huber, RCA Sony BMG, January 2001 Johannes Brahms: Vier ernste Gesänge, Franz Schubert: Gesänge des Harfners and various Lieder, Frank Martin: Sechs Monologe aus Jedermann, piano: Gerold Huber, Arte Nova, August 2002 Gustav Mahler: Kindertotenlieder, piano: Gerold Huber, Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Hyperion Ensemble, Arte Nova, February 2003 Joseph Haydn: Die Schöpfung, Concentus Musicus Wien, Arnold Schoenberg Chor, Dorothea Röschmann, Michael Schade, conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, harmonia mundi, February 2004 Robert Schumann: Dichterliebe und gemischte Lieder, piano: Gerold Huber, RCA, October 2004Schumann: Dichterliebe review by Dan Davis in "Classics Today", 2005 Carl Orff: Carmina Burana, Berliner Philharmoniker, conductor Simon Rattle, EMI, 2005 Felix Mendelssohn: Elias, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, conductor Herbert Blomstedt, RCA, Juli 2005 Schubert: Abendbilder (various Lieder), piano: Gerold Huber, RCA, January 2006 Mendelssohn: Die Heimkehr aus der Fremde, part of Kauz, Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, conductor Helmuth Rilling, hänssler classic, 2006 Haydn: Orlando paladino, part of Rodomonte, Concentus musicus, conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, harmonia mundi, May 2006 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Die Zauberflöte, part of Papageno, Wiener Philharmoniker, conductor Riccardo Muti, Decca, 2006 Johann Sebastian Bach: Mass in B minor, Gächinger Kantorei, Bach-Collegium Stuttgart, conductor Helmuth Rilling, hänssler classic, 2007 Bach: Christmas Oratorio, Concentus Musicus Wien, Arnold Schoenberg Chor, conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, harmonia mundi, November 2007 Terezín / Theresienstadt, Lieder by Victor Ullmann and others, Anne Sofie von Otter, Deutsche Grammophon, 2007 Schumann: Melancholie – Liederkreis op. 39 und gemischte Lieder, piano: Gerold Huber, RCA, March 2008Melancholie – Lieder von Robert Schumann review of Jens F. Laurson, June 2008 Schumann: Das Paradies und die Peri, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, RCA, March 2008 Benjamin Britten: War Requiem, Annette Dasch, James Taylor, conductor Helmuth Rilling, hänssler classic, September 2008 Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Klaus Florian Vogt, conductor Kent Nagano, Sony Music, April 2009Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde review of Hugo Shirley, 2 July 2009 Karl Amadeus Hartmann, Des Simplicius Simplicissimus Jugend, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, conductor: Ulf Schirmer, September 2009 Haydn: Die Jahreszeiten, Concentus Musicus Wien, Arnold Schoenberg Chor, conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, harmonia mundi, March 2009 Schumann: Szenen aus Goethes Faust, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, RCO live, July 2009 Othmar Schoeck: Notturno, Rosamunde Quartett, ECM, September 2009 Mahler: Lieder, piano: Gerold Huber, Sony Music, October 2009 Othmar Schoeck: Elegie, Op. 36, Sony Music, April 2022 Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde, Sony Classical, May 2023
Recent albums Year Title Label2017 Brahms: Die Schöne MageloneSony Classical2017Debussy: Pelléas et MelisandSony Classical2017Schubert: Die schöne Müllerin, D.795Sony Classical2018Schumann: FrageSony Classical2021Schumann: Alle LiederSony Classical2022Othmar Schoeck: Elegie, Op. 36Sony Classical2023Mahler: Das Lied von der ErdeSony Classical
References
External links Christian Gerhaher website (in German) Christian Gerhaher artist of Gasteig Munich Christian Gerhaher Sony de Mahler/Gerhaher/Huber: Lieder Andrew Clements, The Guardian, 14 January 2010 Christian Gerhaher »Ein bisschen Qual gehört dazu« (pictured), interview of Christian Gerhaher in Frankfurter Neue Presse of 28 January 2010 (in German) Mahler: Lieder – Christian Gerhaher (baritone), Gerold Huber (piano) review in The Sunday Times, 31 January 2010