Lutz-Michael Harder (Tenor)

Born: September 4, 1942 - Langenfeld (today Długoszyn), near Küstrin, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Died: August 24, 2019 - Hannover, Germany

The German tenor, Lutz-Michael Harder, began his music studies in the area of the church music in in Halle (Saale) with the A-exam. After moving to the Federal Republic, he studied singing with Professor Naan Pöld at the Musikhochschule of Hamburg, graduating with a diploma and concert exam (1972-1976).

Lutz-Michael Harder made his debut in 1975 at the Festival of Eutin as Ferrando in W.A. Mozart's Così fan tutte of Mozart. He was engaged at the National Theatre of Oldenburg, and then was a member of the National Theatre of Hannover (1980-1988), and made numerous guest appearances on major German stages. He sang Don Ottavio in W.A. Mozart's Don Giovanni in 1978 at the Festival of Ludwigsburg. So he sang the title role in the premiere of Friedrich Goldmann's Robert Hot in Stuttgart. In 1985 he participated in the State Opera of Hamburg in the premiere of the second version of Udo Zimmermann’s Die weiße Rose, as Hans Scholl. From Hannover he undertook a number of further appearances, such as in 1987 at the Vienna State Opera in the opera Die weiße Rose mentioned above by Udo Zimmermann. His stage repertoire covered primarily parts in the lyric range, above all roles in W.A. Mozart's operas. He excelled also as a concert singer, particularly as a J.S. Bach interpreter. Concert tours led him to many countries around the world. His strong love for church music is evident in his commitment to the Neuengammer Kantorei, with which he performed George Frideric Handel's Messiah (June 2009).

Lutz-Michael Harder lectured from 1982 at the Musikhochschule Hannover, where he was appointed professor of voice on March 15, 1989. He taught there for 25 years.

Recordings: Electrola (Don Ottavio in W.A. Mozart's Don Giovanni under Wolfgang Gönnenwein, recorded during performance of the opera in Ludwigsburg), Schwann (Karl Martin Reinthaler's Jephtha), Orfeo (U. Zimmermann's Die weiße Rose), Laudate (J.S. Bach's Cantatas), Hänssler-Verlag (J.S. Bach's Cantatas with the Bach-Collegium Stuttgart under Helmuth Rilling). Numerous radio and television recordings also testify to his great artistic diversity.

Source: Operissimo Website, English translation by Aryeh Oron (July 2001); Wikipedia Website (September 2019); Bits & pieces from other sources
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (July 2001, October 2004, January 2020)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Helmut Franz

Tenor

[CR-41] (1977, Radio recording): BWV 41

Benhard Klee

Tenor

BWV 21

Theo Loosli

Tenor

[V-1] (1979): BWV 245

Hermann Max

Tenor

BWV 78, BWV 147

Peter Neumann

Tenor

BWV 245

Helmuth Rilling

Tenor

BWV 3, BWV 27, BWV 38, BWV 43, BWV 70, BWV 71, BWV 80, BWV 98, BWV 99, BWV 111, BWV 115, BWV 116, BWV 127, BWV 164

Links to other Sites

Hochschule für Musik und Theater - Prof. Harder
Lutz-Michael Harder (Wikipedia)
Prof. Lutz-Michael Harder (hmtm-hannover) [German]