Helmut Deutsch

The pianist Helmut Deutsch, who was born in Vienna in 1945, studied at his native city’s conservatory, music academy, and the university. Even during his training, his main interest became focused on the art of lieder performance as well as chamber music, to which he has since devoted himself with many world-class instrumentalists. Deutsch began his international career as the piano accompanist to the soprano Irmgard Seefried; the most important singer during the first period of his career, however, became Hermann Prey, with whom he performed in several hundred concerts over a period of twelve years. Deutsch has since then worked with many of the most important Lieder interpreters and performed in the world's major music centers. At present, the tenors Jonas Kaufmann and Mauro Peter, the soprano Diana Damrau, and the baritone Michael Volle are among his primary partners. Deutsch’s artistry is documented on over 100 recordings. He is deeply committed to the rediscovery of unjustly forgotten composers. The training and promotion of young talent is also a matter close to his heart. He began teaching in 1967 at the Vienna Academy of Music and starting in 1986 continued at the Academy of Music and Theater in Munich, where he was professor of Lieder interpretation for 28 years; to this day, he regularly gives master classes in Europe and Asia and remains in contact with universities through guest professorships. Among the artists he has trained are Juliane Banse, Jonas Kaufmann, Dietrich Henschel, Christian Gerhaher, and Wolfram Rieger. In 2019 Helmut Deutsch published his memoirs as a lieder accompanist under the title Gesang auf Händen tragen.

LUCERNE FESTIVAL debut on 2 September 2007 in a program of Schumann and schubert Lieder with Angelika Kirchschlager .

August 2020