Hans-Peter Lehmann | |
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 Lehmann in 2014 | |
| Born | (1934-12-15)15 December 1934 |
| Died | 5 February 2025(2025-02-05) (aged 90) Munich, Bavaria, Germany |
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Hans-Peter Lehmann (15 December 1934 – 5 February 2025) was a German opera and arts administrator. He served asintendant of theStaatsoper Hannover from 1980 to 2001. During that tenure, he directed 31 productions with a focus on the stage works byRichard Wagner and operas from the 20th century, both neglected works and new commissions. He was professor at theHochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover.
Lehmann was born inKassel on 15 December 1934,[1] the son of the sculptorKurt Lehmann [de] and an art historian.[2] In 1955, he passed hisAbitur at theWaldorfschule [de] in Hanover. He studied music, voice, flute and pantomime at theHochschule für Musik Detmold from 1955 to 1957, and studied further musicology,art history andtheatre studies at theFree University of Berlin from 1957 to 1958.[3]
After his studies, Lehmann became assistant director ofCarl Ebert andGustav Rudolf Sellner at the newDeutsche Oper Berlin; he assistedWieland Wagner andWolfgang Wagner at theBayreuth Festival between 1960 and 1973.[3] After the death of Wieland Wagner in 1966, he took care of his artistic legacy, in productions in Bayreuth and on tours to Italy, France, Japan, and the US.[2][4] In 1970, he staged Wagner'sTannhäuser at theBavarian State Opera in Munich,[5] and in 1974 Zimmermann'sDie Soldaten at theStaatstheater Nürnberg.[6] He worked as a director also in Mainz, Ulm, and Freiburg.[3]
From 1976 to 1980, Lehmann worked in his first leading position asopera director at theHessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden.[3][2] From 1980 to 2001, was opera director at theStaatsoper Hannover. He directed 31 productions during his tenure,[3] often withGeorge Alexander Albrecht asGeneralmusikdirektor.[4] He also was a guest director of performances in Essen, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Amsterdam, Basel, Milan, Paris, Venice and Chicago.[2]
In Hannover, he focused on directing works by Wagner, beginning withParsifal in his first season there. His contacts to Bayreuth helped him to win singers such asWaltraud Meier andSiegfried Jerusalem. He also directedLohengrin,Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and theRing cycle, and he engaged other directors for more stage works by Wagner. He had a strong sense for talent, giving singers such asRenate Behle,Johannes Martin Kränzle andRainer Trost and directorHerbert Wernicke the foundation for an international career.[2]
Lehmann initiated a remodeling of the opera house to achieve better acoustics. During the construction time, theTheater am Aegi served as an interim opera house. The reopening of the Staatsoper took place with his production of Schoenberg'sMoses und Aron. Lehmann introduced operas from the 20th century, against the initial resistance of the audience, including several world premieres and first performances. He directed Aribert Reimann'sTroades, Bernd Alois Zimmermann'sDie Soldaten,[2] Zemlinsky'sEine florentinische Tragödie, Henze'sKönig Hirsch, Alban Berg'sWozzeck, Pfitzner'sPalestrina and the world premiere of a commissioned chamber opera byXaver Paul Thoma,Draußen vor der Tür afterBorchert's play.[4][7] It was premiered in 1994 at the Ballhof theatre.[7] Lehmann invited guests to direct other rarely played works from the period, for Wolf-Ferrari'sSly, Berg'sLulu,John Corigliano'sDie Geister von Versailles, Reimann'sDas Schloß,Martinů'sGriechische Passion, Britten'sBilly Budd, Ligeti'sLe Grand Macabre and Schoeck'sPenthesilea.[4] In 2000, Lehmann directed the world premiere ofVolker David Kirchner'sGilgamesh, commissioned for theExpo 2000, with stage design byEkkehard Grübler and conducted byStefan Sanderling.[8]
Lehmann also programmed works related to Hanover, such as Steffani'sEnrico Leone, works by Wolf-Ferrari and byHeinrich Marschner, whoseDer Bäbu was played in a concert version, while he directedHans Heiling.[4] Lehmann completed his time in Hanover in 2001 directing a production of Hindemith'sMathis der Maler. He then became an honorary member of the Staatsoper Hannover.[2]
After Wernicke died in 2002, Lehmann took over his direction of Wagner'sDie Walküre at the Bavarian State Opera, following Wernicke's concept.[5]
Lehmann was a professor at theHochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover and a member of the Kuratorium der Bürgerstiftung Hannover, inspiring the cultural development of the city.[2]
Lehmann was married to the singer Erika Maria Lehmann. The couple had two sons.[4]
Lehmann died on 5 February 2025, at the age of 90.[3]
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