Christoph Prégardien

Christoph Prégardien, the tenor, has earned acclaim primarily through his interpretations of lieder, operatic parts, and oratorio works. Several recording awards have come his way, and he has also made a name as a conductor and teacher.

Born on January 18, 1956, in Limburg an der Lahn, Germany, he received initial training at the Limburg Cathedral Choir School. Further studies took him to the Frankfurt Musikhochschule under Martin Gründeler, followed by instruction from Carla Castellani in Milan, Karlheinz Jarius in Frankfurt, and Alois Treml in Stuttgart.

His career as a concert performer has centered on oratorios and passions spanning the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras. In addition, his repertoire includes compositions by Monteverdi, Schütz, and Purcell from the seventeenth century, alongside twentieth-century pieces by Britten, Stravinsky, Killmayer, and Rihm. He has collaborated in performances and recordings under conductors such as Brüggen, Gardiner, Harnoncourt, Herreweghe, Hogwood, Jacobs, Koopman, Kuijken, Leonhardt, and Rilling.

On the opera stage, Prégardien has appeared in prominent locations including London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Montpellier, and Tokyo, taking on roles like Ulisse in Monteverdi's work, Tamino and Don Ottavio from Mozart, and Rossini's Count Almaviva.

Lieder singing holds particular appeal for him; he pursued this at the Frankfurt Musikhochschule in classes led by Hartmut Höll. The acclaim for his early lieder recordings launched an extensive discography, with prizes like the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik, Edison Award, Diapason D'or de l'année, and Cannes Classical Award recognizing his lieder artistry.

From 2012 onward, conducting engagements have involved Le Concert Lorrain, the Nederlands Kammerkoor, the Duisburger Philharmoniker, and Collegium Vocale Gent. Teaching positions have included the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Zurich and the Academy of Music in Cologne, complemented by master classes given globally.

Prégardien began joint performances with Andreas Staier in 1991, leading to an exclusive Teldec contract in 1997. Their initial release, Schubert's Winterreise, garnered multiple honors and inclusion on the German Record Critics' Quarterly List. Michael Gees serves as another preferred accompanist, evident in their 2008 recording of Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin.

Further recordings feature songs by Beethoven along with Nikolaus von Krufft and Franz Lachner, Brahms' Die schöne Magelone, a 2014 collection of duets shared with his son Julian, and lieder by Schumann and Wagner issued in 2019.