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 composer and musician of the Baroque and Classical period. He was the fifth ch ...

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

Career

Born in

Dresden Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...

, Haenchen began his musical career as a member of the Dresdner Kreuzchor. 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 (or Dresden University of Music Carl Maria von Weber; also/formerly known as Dresden Conservatory or Dresden Royal Conservatory) is a university school of music, university of music in Dresden, ...

. 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 () is a music festival held annually in Bayreuth, Germany, at which performances of stage works by the 19th-century German composer Richard Wagner are presented. Wagner himself conceived and promoted the idea of a special ...

and concerts conducted by

Herbert von Karajan Herbert von Karajan (; born ''Heribert Adolf Ernst 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, ...

. 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 Staatsoper Unter den Linden ( State Opera under the Lime Trees), also known as the Berlin State Opera (), is a listed building on Unter den Linden boulevard in the historic center of Berlin, Germany. The opera house was built by order of P ...

, directing Mussorgsky's ''

Boris Godunov Boris Feodorovich Godunov (; ; ) was the ''de facto'' regent of Russia from 1585 to 1598 and then tsar from 1598 to 1605 following the death of Feodor I, the last of the Rurik dynasty. After the end of Feodor's reign, Russia descended into t ...

''. 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 and the Frauenkirche Dresden. It receive ...

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 Th ...

. 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 operas, operettas and musicals. The opera house is located on Behrenstraße, near Unter den Linden. Since 2004, the Komische Oper Berlin, along with the Be ...

. From 1980 to 2014 he was artistic director of the Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Chamber Orchestra in Berlin. In 1986, Haenchen became

music director A music director, musical director or director of music is a 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 ...

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 ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

and chief conductor of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra (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 Richard Georg Strauss (; ; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer and conductor best known for his Tone poems (Strauss), tone poems and List of operas by Richard Strauss, operas. Considered a leading composer of the late Roman ...

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

, and

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

, 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, a small town in the province of Parma, to a family of moderate means, recei ...

, Bartók,

Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer during the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popular ...

Puccini Giacomo Puccini (22 December 1858 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 line of composers, s ...

, 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 at ...

. 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. However, he frequently returned to the NPO and was appointed as their honorary conductor in March 2023. 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), also known as the Staatstheater Wiesbaden or Theater Wiesbaden, is a German theatre located in Wiesbaden, in the German state of Hesse. The company produces operas, plays, b ...

. He was scheduled to conduct ''

Parsifal ''Parsifal'' ( WWV 111) is a music drama in three acts by the German composer Richard Wagner and his last composition. Wagner's own libretto for the work is freely based on the 13th-century Middle High German chivalric romance ''Parzival'' of th ...

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

Awards

* 1984 Kunstpreis der DDR * 1990/1992

Laurence Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in West End theatre, professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of We ...

(Gluck Orfeo ed Euridice and Mozart Mitridate, both

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is a theatre in Covent Garden, central London. The building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. The ROH is the main home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orch ...

, London) * 1996 Knight in the Order of the Dutch Lion * 2008 Cross of the

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (, or , BVO) is the highest state decoration, federal decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It may be awarded for any field of endeavor. It was created by the first List of president ...

* 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, Thüringen) is a German 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 1957. In 1959 he was ap ...

, ETERNA, 1984, reissued by BERLIN Classics 0032102BC * Friedrich II: Symphonies and flute concertos with Manfred Friedrich, ETERNA, 1984, CAPRICCIO 10064, 1985, 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, 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 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

: Flute concertos with Werner Tast, 1987, ETERNA 7 28 022CD *

Georg Friedrich Händel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque music, Baroque composer well-known for his opera#Baroque era, operas, oratorios, anthems, concerto grosso, concerti grossi, ...

: Arias with Jochen Kowalski, 1987, ETERNA 3 29 099, awarded the Deutsche Schallplattenpreis *

Joseph Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( ; ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...

: Symphonies nos. 26, 44 & 49, 1988, BERLIN Classics 1013-2, CD of the year 1993, AVRO's Platenzaak *

Christoph Willibald 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 (music), classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of th ...

: 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, 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, 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 Jochen Kowalski, 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, 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 Jochen Kowalski and Raphael Alpermann, 1994, BERLIN Classics 0011322BC * C.Ph. E. Bach: ''Die letzten Leiden des Erlösers'' with Christine Schäfer, Ellen Schuring, Thomas Dewald, Roman Trekel and the Hallenser Madrigalisten, 1994, DVD: EuroArts 2060808 * Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, ''

Symphony No. 3 (Mendelssohn) The Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56, MWV N 18, 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 vi ...

,'' 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, Olaf Bär, 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 h ...

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

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

, Maximilian Schmitt, Roman Trekel 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