Christoph Leonhardt

The tenor Christoph Leonhardt, born in Bad Nauheim in 1968, was already deeply involved in music during his school years, directing his parish church and brass choirs, playing the organ and founding several ensembles of his own. He first studied Protestant theology and musicology in Frankfurt am Main and Mainz, before going on to train in singing and music education at the Hochschule für Musik Dresden. His diploma thesis on the Evangelist role in Bach’s »St Matthew Passion« was published in the conservatoire’s yearbook in 2000.

While still a student, Christoph Leonhardt embarked on a wide-ranging concert career, appearing at the Bach Week of the Heiliggeistkirche in Heidelberg, the Mittelsächsischer Kultursommer, the Katholische Hofkirche in Dresden and Bautzen Cathedral, among others. In Bach’s anniversary year 2000 he sang the tenor solos in the Thomaskantor‘s complete performance of the first Leipzig cantata cycle, and he further refined his artistry in masterclasses with Edith Mathis, Brigitte Fassbaender and Peter Schreier, as well as gaining stage experience with the opera chorus studio of the Semperoper Dresden.

After completing his studies he joined the Landestheater Detmold and the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden as chorus tenor and tenor soloist, while already appearing in projects with the Rundfunkchor Berlin. He has been a permanent member of the ensemble since 2004 and is regularly featured as a soloist with the choir, including in May 2008 with the Konzerthausorchester Berlin under Michael Gielen.