Hartmut Haenchen (born 21 March 1943) is a German conductor, known as a specialist for the music of

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (8 March 1714 – 14 December 1788), also formerly spelled Karl Philipp Emmanuel Bach, and commonly abbreviated C. P. E. Bach, was a German Classical period musician and composer, the fifth child and sec ...

, and for conducting operas in the leading opera houses of the world.

Career

Born in

Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth larg ...

, Haenchen began his musical career as a member of the

Dresdner Kreuzchor The Dresdner Kreuzchor is the boys' choir of the Kreuzkirche in Dresden, Germany. It has a seven-century history and a world-wide reputation. Today, the choir has about 150 members between the ages of 9 and 19, from Dresden and the surroundin ...

. By the age of 15, he was already conducting performances as cantor. As a 17-year-old, he attracted widespread attention with his revival of

Johann Adolph Hasse Johann Adolph Hasse (baptised 25 March 1699 – 16 December 1783) was an 18th-century German composer, singer and teacher of music. Immensely popular in his time, Hasse was best known for his prolific operatic output, though he also composed a co ...

's Requiem. Haenchen subsequently studied conducting and voice at the

Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber The Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber (Carl Maria von Weber College of Music; also/formerly known as Dresden Conservatory or Dresden Royal Conservatory) is a university of music in Dresden, Germany. History The Hochschule opened ...

. He then attended master classes in Berlin, Leningrad and at Carinthian Summer Festival in Austria, later attending rehearsals at the

Bayreuth Festival The Bayreuth Festival (german: link=no, Bayreuther Festspiele) is a music festival held annually in Bayreuth, Germany, at which performances of operas by the 19th-century German composer Richard Wagner are presented. Wagner himself conceived ...

and concerts conducted by

Herbert von Karajan Herbert von Karajan (; born Heribert Ritter von Karajan; 5 April 1908 – 16 July 1989) was an Austrian conductor. He was principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic for 34 years. During the Nazi era, he debuted at the Salzburg Festival, wit ...

. Haenchen's first engagement was as director of the Robert-Franz-Singakademie (choral society) in Halle and conductor of the Halle Philharmonic Orchestra in 1966. He went on to win first prize at the Carl Maria von Weber Competition in Dresden in 1971. In 1972–1973 Haenchen served as principal Kapellmeister of the Zwickau Theatre. During that period he made his debut at the

Berlin State Opera The (), also known as the Berlin State Opera (german: Staatsoper Berlin), is a listed building on Unter den Linden boulevard in the historic center of Berlin, Germany. The opera house was built by order of Prussian king Frederick the Great from ...

, directing

Mussorgsky Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky ( rus, link=no, Модест Петрович Мусоргский, Modest Petrovich Musorgsky , mɐˈdɛst pʲɪˈtrovʲɪtɕ ˈmusərkskʲɪj, Ru-Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky version.ogg; – ) was a Russian compo ...

's '' Boris Godunov''. He appeared there regularly until 1986. From 1973 to 1976, Haenchen was conductor of the

Dresden Philharmonic The Dresdner Philharmonie (Dresden Philharmonic) is a German symphony orchestra based in Dresden. Its principal concert venue is the '' Kulturpalast''. The orchestra also performs at the Kreuzkirche, the Hochschule für Musik Dresden, and ...

and a regular guest with the

Semperoper The Semperoper () is the opera house of the Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden (Saxon State Opera) and the concert hall of the Staatskapelle Dresden (Saxon State Orchestra). It is also home to the Semperoper Ballett. The building is located on the ...

. Between 1976 and 1979, he served as music director of the Mecklenburgische Staatskapelle and Staatstheater in Schwerin. Subsequently, he began to make regular appearances at

Komische Oper Berlin The Komische Oper Berlin is a German opera company based in Berlin. The company produces opera, operetta and musicals. The opera house is located on Behrenstraße, just a few steps from Unter den Linden. Since 2004, the Komische Oper Berlin, a ...

. From 1980 to 2014 he was artistic director of the

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Chamber Orchestra The Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Chamber Orchestra (German: ''Kammerorchester Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach'') was a German chamber orchestra, founded in 1969 in Berlin, dedicated to the music of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and his contemporaries. Histo ...

in Berlin. In 1986, Haenchen became

music director A music(al) director or director of music is the person responsible for the musical aspects of a performance, production, or organization. This would include the artistic director and usually chief conductor of an orchestra or concert band, the d ...

of the

De Nederlandse Opera The Dutch National Opera (DNO; formerly De Nederlandse Opera, now De Nationale Opera in Dutch) is a Dutch opera company based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its present home base is the Dutch National Opera & Ballet housed in the Stopera building, a m ...

(DNO) in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...

and chief conductor of the

Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra The Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra (NedPhO; nl, Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest) is a Dutch symphony orchestra based in Amsterdam. History The NedPhO was formed in 1985 from the merger of three orchestras: the Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestr ...

(NPO) and the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra. During his tenure in Amsterdam, DNO became renowned for its high-quality ensemble productions and innovative stagings. Haenchen was particularly associated with the German repertoire: Richard Strauss,

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...

, and

Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...

, but he also conducted opera of

Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...

, Bartók,

Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most popu ...

Puccini Giacomo Puccini ( Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long ...

, and

Gluck Christoph Willibald (Ritter von) Gluck (; 2 July 1714 – 15 November 1787) was a composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of the Holy Roman Empire, he g ...

. After the 1999 ''Ring'' cycle, Haenchen left his post but has continued as a guest conductor. With the NPO, the newly formed Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra quickly rose in stature, under his leadership, not only in its opera performances but also in symphonic concerts, recordings, and foreign tours. Haenchen resigned his position in September 2002 to protest budget cuts. Haenchen has made guest appearances in virtually all the European countries and toured Japan, the United States and Canada. He has conducted operas in Amsterdam, Berlin, Bologna, Dresden, Geneva, Jerusalem, London, Madrid, Milan, Munich, New York City, Paris, Stuttgart, Warsaw, Vienna and the

Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden The Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden ('Hessian State Theatre Wiesbaden') is a German theatre located in Wiesbaden, in the German state Hesse. The company produces operas, plays, ballets, musicals and concerts on four stages. Known also as the ...

. He was scheduled to conduct ''

Parsifal ''Parsifal'' ( WWV 111) is an opera or a music drama in three acts by the German composer Richard Wagner and his last composition. Wagner's own libretto for the work is loosely based on the 13th-century Middle High German epic poem ''Parzival'' ...

'' at the Bayreuth Festival in the summer of 2016 and 2017.

Awards

* 1984 Kunstpreis der DDR * 1990/1992 Laurence Olivier Award (Gluck Orfeo ed Euridice and Mozart Mitridate, both

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Op ...

, London) * 1996 Knight in the

Order of the Dutch Lion The Order of the Netherlands Lion, also known as the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands ( nl, De Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw, french: L'Ordre du Lion Néerlandais) is a Dutch order of chivalry founded by King William I of the Netherlands on ...

* 2008 Cross of the

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...

* 2013 Honorary doctorate

* 2017 The magazine ''

Opernwelt ''Opernwelt'' (''Opera World'') is a monthly German magazine for opera, operetta and ballet. It includes news about current performances, portraits of composers and performers, articles about opera houses, performance spaces, and contemporary and ...

'' has chosen on the basis of a vote of fifty journalists worldwide Haenchen as Conductor of the Year 2017. * 2018 Richard Wagner Prize of the Richard Wagner Foundation Leipzig

Discography

(chronological selection from 137 CDs/DVDs) * Early classical horn concertos with

Peter Damm Peter Damm (born 27 July 1937, Meiningen, Thuringia, Thüringen) is a German French horn, horn player. He began his musical education aged eleven, on the violin, and started playing the horn in 1951 and graduated from the Franz Liszt Academy in 19 ...

, 1981, BERLIN Classics 0032102BC * Friedrich II: Symphonies and flute concertos with Manfred Friedrich, 1982, CAPRICCIO 10064, featured record of the month * Oboe concertos by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giuseppe Ferlendis and Franz Anton Rößler with Burkhard Glätzner, 1984, CAPRICCIO 10 087 * C.Ph.E. Bach: The Berlin Symphonies, 1985, CAPRICCIO 10103, awarded the Deutsche Schallplattenpreis * C.Ph.E. Bach: Flute concertos with

Eckart Haupt Eckart Haupt (born 2 November 1945) is a German flutist and university teacher. The Staatskapelle Dresden described him on their homepage as one of the "leading flutists of the present". Life Born in Zittau, Saxony, Haupt grew up in Görlitz. ...

, 1985, CAPRICCIO 10104 und CAPRICCIO 10105, awarded the Deutsche Schallplattenpreis * C.Ph.E. Bach: Organ concertos with Roland Münch, 1985, CAPRICCIO 10135, awarded the Deutsche Schallplattenpreis * C.Ph.E. Bach: String symphonies Wq 182, 1985 CAPRICCIO 51 033, awarded the Deutsche Schallplattenpreis * C.Ph.E. Bach: Four orchestral symphonies, 1986, CAPRICCIO 10175 awarded the Deutsche Schallplattenpreis, award winner in the magazine “Scala” as one of the best 50 recordings of the 20th century. * Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Flute concertos with Werner Tast, 1987, ETERNA 7 28 022CD * Georg Friedrich Händel: Arias with

Jochen Kowalski Jochen Kowalski (born 30 January 1954) is a German alto or mezzo countertenor, noted for his very rich timbre. Early life Jochen Kowalski was born in Wachow, Nauen District, Bezirk Potsdam, in East Germany (now a small village belonging to t ...

, 1987, ETERNA 3 29 099, awarded the Deutsche Schallplattenpreis * Joseph Haydn: Symphonies nos. 26, 44 & 49, 1988, BERLIN Classics 1013-2, CD of the year 1993, AVRO's Platenzaak * Christoph Willibald Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice, 1988, CAPRICCIO 60008-2, awarded the Deutsche Schallplattenpreis, Gramophone Award Nomination * C.Ph.E. Bach: Magnificat and two Berlin Symphonies with Venceslava Hruba-Freiberger, Barbara Bornemann,

Peter Schreier Peter Schreier (29 July 1935 – 25 December 2019) was a German tenor in opera, concert and lied, and a conductor. He was regarded as one of the leading lyric tenors of the 20th century. Schreier was a member of the Dresdner Kreuzchor conduct ...

Olaf Bär Olaf Bär (born 19 December 1957) is a German operatic baritone. Life Bär received his musical training in his home city of Dresden, studying at the city's Hochschule für Musik. His career has concentrated on lieder and on the lyric baritone ...

, 1988, BERLIN Classics 0110 011 * Joseph Haydn: Symphonies nos. 43, 45 & 59, 1989, BERLIN Classics 0110 014 * Joseph Haydn: Symphonies nos. 31, 73 & 82, 1989, BERLIN Classics BC 1028-2 * Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sinfonia concertante KV 297b and Concerto for flute and harp with Werner Tast and Katharina Hanstedt, 1990, BERLIN Classics 0120 004 * Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Concertone and Sinfonia concertante KV 364 with Thorsten Rosenbusch, Christian Trompler and Erich Krüger, 1990, BERLIN Classics 0120 003 * Joseph Haydn: Symphonies nos. 48, 53 & 85, 1990, BERLIN Classics 0110 024 * Carl Maria von Weber: Symphony no. 1 C-Dur; Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: String symphony no. 10 in B minor; Hugo Wolf: Italian Serenade; Richard Wagner: Siegfried Idyll, 1991, Sony Classical SK 53109 * Concert at the Prussia court with Thorsten Rosenbusch, Erich Krüger, Christian Trompler, Karl-Heinz Schröter,

Christine Schornsheim Christine Schornsheim, married name Christine Engelmayr (born in 1959), is a German harpsichordist and pianist. Life and career Schornsheim attended the from 1969 to 1976 and studied piano at the local Berlin University of the Arts until 1982. ...

, Klaus Kirbach, 1991, BERLIN Classics 1040-2 * Joseph Haydn: Symphonies nos. 94, 103 & 60, 1991, BERLIN Classics 1027-2 * C.Ph.E. Bach: Symphony in D major; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: "Eine kleine Nachtmusik"; Johann Sebastian Bach: Brandenburg Concerto no. 3; Benjamin Britten: Simple Symphony; Georg Friedrich Händel: Water Music Suite no. 2, 1991, Sony Classical SK 4806 * Giovanni Pergolesi: ''Stabat mater'' with Dennis Naseband and

, 1992, BERLIN Classics BC 1047-2 * Gustav Mahler – String Quartet arrangements: Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet in F minor op. 95, Franz Schubert: String Quartet in D minor D 810 “Death and the Maiden", 1992, BERLIN Classics 0010642 * Italian and German Christmas Music, 1992, Sony Classical S2K 53266 * Water Music: Georg Friedrich Händel and Georg Philipp Telemann, 1992, BERLIN Classics 1051-2 * Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Concert arias with

Christiane Oelze Christiane Oelze (born 9 October 1963 in Cologne) is a German operatic soprano. From 2003 to 2008, she taught singing at the Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf. Since 2010 she taught at the Masterclass of Apeldoorn (Netherlands), since 2011 a ...

, 1993, BERLIN Classics 0013252BC, awarded the Deutsche Schallplattenpreis * Joseph Haydn: Symphonies nos. 22, 55 & 64, 1993, BERLIN Classics 0011092BC * Wilhelm Friedemann Bach: The orchestral works, 1993, BERLIN Classics B001FY2KVW * Pietro Locatelli: Concerti grossi Op. 7, 1994, BERLIN Classics 0011332BC * Johann Sebastian Bach: Cantatas 35, 169 & 49 with

and Raphael Alpermann, 1994, BERLIN Classics 0011322BC * C.Ph. E. Bach: ''Die letzten Leiden des Erlösers'' with

Christine Schäfer Christine Schäfer (born 3 March 1965) is a German operatic soprano. Biography Schäfer was born in Frankfurt. She studied from 1984 until 1991 at the Hochschule der Künste Berlin, where her teachers were Ingrid Figur, Aribert Reimann and ...

, Ellen Schuring, Thomas Dewald,

Roman Trekel Roman Trekel (born Pirna near Dresden in 1963) is a German operatic baritone and Lied-singer. He was awarded the title of Kammersänger in 2000. References

German operatic baritones 1963 births Living people Academic staff of the Hoch ...

and the Hallenser Madrigalisten, 1994, DVD: EuroArts 2060808 * Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, ''

Symphony No. 3 (Mendelssohn) The Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56, known as the ''Scottish'', is a symphony by Felix Mendelssohn, composed between 1829 and 1842. History Composition Mendelssohn was initially inspired to compose this symphony during his first visit to Brit ...

,'' and '' Hebrides Overture – Fingal's Cave'' ca. 1988, Berlin Classics. * Johann Christian Bach: Symphony in G minor op. 6, no. 6; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony no. 40 in G minor KV 550 (1st version); Franz Schubert: Symphony no. 5 in B flat major, 1995, SONY Classical SMK 93831 * Franz Liszt: ''Dante Sinfonie'', CAPRICCIO 10 736, 1995 * Cello concertos of the 18th century by C.Ph.E. Bach (A major), Nicola Porpora (G major), Joseph Haydn (no. 2 in D major) with Jens Peter Maintz, 1996, PHILIPS 456015-2 * Richard Wagner: ''Der Ring des Nibelungen'', 1999, OPUSARTE * Gustav Mahler: Symphony no. 5, 2001, PENTATON, SACD PTC 5 186 004 * Gustav Mahler: Symphony no.1 and 8, 2002, ICA (ICAC 5094) * Johann David Heinichen: ''La Gara degli Dei'' with Alexandra Coku, Carola Höhn, Simone Nold, Katharina Kammerloher, Annette Markert, Ralph Eschrig,

, 2003, Berlin Classics 0300544BC * Classical Violin concertos. Works by W.A. Mozart (Rondo in C major KV 373, Concerto in G major KV 216), M. Haydn (Concerto in B flat major), F. Schubert (Rondo in A major D 438) with

Baiba Skride Baiba Skride (born 19 February 1981) is a Latvian classical violinist. She was the winner of the Queen Elisabeth Violin Contest in 2001. Background and studies Baiba Skride comes from a very musical Latvian family: her love of music comes from ...

, 2004, Sony Classical 92939 * Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Divertimento in E flat major KV 113, Piano concerto in D minor, with Stefan Vladar, Symphony no. 41 in C major (Jupiter), 2005, DVD EuroArts 2055088 * Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Discovering Masterpieces: Jupiter Symphony with an introduction by Hartmut Haenchen, 2006, DVD EuroArts 2056018 * Richard Wagner: ''Der Ring des Nibelungen'', 2006, ET'CETERA KTC5504 * Gustav Mahler: Symphonie no. 6, DVD, ICAD 5018, 2009, Diapason d'Or * Richard Wagner: ''Der fliegende Holländer'', DNO, 2010, OPUS ARTE, 4947487 * Richard Wagner: ''Parsifal'', director:

Romeo Castellucci Romeo Castellucci (born August 4, 1960) is an Italian theatre director, playwright, artist and designer. Since the 1980s he has been one part of the European theatrical avant-garde. Biography Romeo Castellucci graduated with a degree in paintin ...

, 2011, DVD BelAir, MEILLEURE DIFFUSION MUSICALE AUDIOVISUELLE * C.Ph.E. Bach: ''Die letzten Leiden des Erlösers'' with

Christina Landshamer Christina Landshamer (born 1977) is a German operatic soprano. Life and career Born and raised in Munich, Landshamer studied singing at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München with Angelica Vogel from 1996. She continued her studies at ...

Anke Vondung Anke Vondung (born in Speyer, Rhineland-Palatinate in 1972), is a German mezzo-soprano. She was a member of the Semperoper Dresden from 2003 to 2006. Career She won third prize in the 1998 ARD International Music Competition in Munich. She has ...

, Maximilian Schmitt,

Roman Trekel Roman Trekel (born Pirna near Dresden in 1963) is a German operatic baritone and Lied-singer. He was awarded the title of Kammersänger in 2000. References

German operatic baritones 1963 births Living people Academic staff of the Hoch ...

and RIAS-Kammerchor, 2014, BERLIN Classics 0300575BC * Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphonies nos. 39, 40 & 41, 2014, BERLIN Classics 0300587BC * Richard Wagner: Parsifal, 2016, DVD, Deutsche Grammophone 004400735350 * Anton Bruckner: Symphonie no. 8, CD, Genuin 18622, 2017

Books

* Hartmut Haenchen "Werktreue und Interpretation", Pfau-Verlag Saarbrücken 2013, 2. Auflage 2016, Band 1 , Band 2 , als Schuber * Texte von Hartmut Haenchen * Hartmut Haenchen: ''Gustav Mahlers fiktive Briefe'', 14 volumes, Pfau-Verlag * Hartmut Haenchen: Bibliographie * Hartmut Haenchen: ''Von der Unvereinbarkeit von Macht und Liebe'', Anmerkungen zu Wagners ''Der Ring des Nibelungen'', DNO AMSTERDAM, 1990, 93 pages,

Exhibition

* Grenzüberschreitungen – Vom Dresdner Kreuzchor zur Mailänder Scala, Report about the opening of the exhibition in the Sächsische Landes- und Universitätsbibliothek

References

External links

*
War & Peace – Projekt 2014–2016

Abschiedssymphonie beim Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Kammerorchester

Film

The Skies over Dresden
' documentary by Paul Cohen und Martijn van Haalen
Trailer and Film
(Dutch/German version) English versio
by EuroArts available

Video

Videos with Hartmut Haenchen

Friedrich II.: Sinfonie G-Dur

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Sinfonie Es-Dur

Johann Sebastian Bach: Kantate "Ich habe genug" mit Jochen Kowalski

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Die letzten Leiden des Erlösers

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sinfonie Nr. 41 C-Dur ''Jupiter''

Konzert zum Brandenburgischen Musiksommer

Audio

Gustav Mahler: Symphony no. 8
Finale
Audios with Hartmut Haenchen

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Sinfonie Es-Dur Wq 179

Pietro Locatelli: Concerto a quattro, Op. 7 Nr. 2
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haenchen, Hartmut 1943 births Living people Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber alumni German male conductors (music) Musicians from Dresden Recipients of the Art Prize of the German Democratic Republic Recipients of the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany 20th-century German conductors (music) 20th-century German male musicians 21st-century German conductors (music) 21st-century German male musicians