Christian Fliegner (Boy Soprano, Tenor)

Born: December 11, 1976 - Bad Tölz, Germany

The former German boy soprano and later tenor, Christian Fliegner, has been a member of the Tölzer Knabenchor since 1984. During his three-year ‘apprenticeship’, the boy's extraordinary vocal talent soon became apparent, as well as his exceptional feel for motion, an ability which, for example, induced August Everding to add a silent ‘solo part’ for Christian Fliegner in in Munich production of Oliver. Musical work was, however, also soon to come Christian Fliegner's way.

Christian Fliegner sang the Bird of the Forest in the Berghaus production of Wagner's Siegfried, conducted by Michael Gielen. Soon after, he was given the part of the ‘1^st boy's voice’ in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, amongst other roles, in Munich and Hamburg. He sang the part of Amor in Hartmut Haenchen's recording of Gluck's Orfeo ed Eurydice, followed by the soprano soli in J.S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248) and a large production of the St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244) (record, television and tour), conducted by Gustav Leonhardt. a further highspot in his career as a boy soloist was the figure of ‘Yniold’ in Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande at the Opéra de Nice; this production was also recorded for record release.

Further recordings with Christian Fliegner: Little Spiritual Concertos by Heinrich Schütz, Cantatas by Dietrich Buxtehude, as well as appearances in the Eurovision Song Contest’ and in a television film with Grit van Jüten and René Kollo. Performances which followed Orfeo ed Euridice include recordings of Die Zauberflöte conducted by Sir Neville Marriner and Armin Jordan, Die Zauberflöte with the Vienna State Opera Company in Tokyo, Amor conducted by Hartmut Haenchen at the Amsterdam Opera House, and the role of ‘Melia’ in Mozart's Apollo et Hyacinthus (tour and recording).

As of 2004, Christian Fliegner is still a teacher for his next generations of the Tölzer Knabenchor. But he also performs sometimes as a tenor soloist, for example with Claudio Abbado in Salzburg (Parsifal).

Source: The Boyschoir Review Website; Tölzer Knabenchor (February 2004)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (August 2001), Ehud Shiloni (February 2004), Claude Charton (Pictures - February 2006)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Thomas Gropper

Tenor

BWV 232

Gustav Leonhardt

Boy Soprano

BWV 244

Andrew Parrott

Boy Soprano

BWV 245

Links to other Sites

Christian Fliegner, Tenor (Official Home Page) [N/A]

CD: Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice w/ Christian Fliegner (Boychoir Review) [N/A]