Julian Prégardien

Biography

Tenor Julian Prégardien’s vocal clarity and moving expression of text, coupled with a unique ability to tell stories through song, predestined him for lieder singing. Of particular importance in his career are stories around songs and the emotional bond to people today.

In celebration of the 200th anniversary of Schubert’s Die schöne Müllerin, Julian Prégardien carried out landmark projects including Will the Miller and Müller in Wien, as well as audio and video productions in collaboration with the SWR.

Julian Prégardien founded the cultural start-up Liedstadt with art director Cate Pisaroni and project designer Kian Jazdi in 2023. Liedstadt curates and creates new formats for lied, and the festival will travel through German-speaking regions from 2024 - 2028.

As an opera singer, Prégardien’s repertoire ranges from Monteverdi's Orfeo to Narraboth in Strauss' Salome. He made his debut in this role at the Salzburg Festival in 2018, conducted by Franz Welser-Möst. His interpretation of Don Ottavio under the musical direction of Sir András Schiff at the Salzburg Mozart Week 2023 was celebrated as a highlight of the festival. Prégardien will make his debut at the Vienna State Opera as Tamino in a new production of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte in 2025.

Julian Prégardien was born in Frankfurt and has been a member of the Limburg Cathedral Boys' Choir since he was 7 years old. He is the son of the tenor Christoph Prégardien, and they regularly appear in joint recitals, making the unique similarity of their voices and their relationship tangible through distinctive programing. As a successor to this tradition, Prégardien's performances as the Evangelist in Bach's Passions are characterized by empathy and emotional directness. The recording of the St. Matthew Passion and video productions of concerts with Raphaël Pichon and the Ensemble Pygmalion showcase his distinctive performances.