Christian Germaine
Tenor & Conductor
Christian Germaine is a versatile dramatic tenor, conductor, and multi-instrumentalist whose artistry is rooted in a broad and cosmopolitan musical education. Born in Mannheim, Germany, he initially studied clarinet and saxophone under Professor Hans Pfeifer at the Mannheim University of Music and voice privately with Wilhelm Roser. He later earned a Master of Music in Conducting at the renowned Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he studied with Donald Neuen, David Effron, and Dr. Timothy Koch.
His conducting education was further shaped by masterclasses with Sir Roger Norrington and Helmuth Rilling, and through guest study periods with Daniel Barenboim in Berlin. He completed his vocal development with Dr. Eva Würl and Mami Teraoka, complemented by acting studies and stage work with Robert Simma in Vienna. Christian Germaine was awarded a Bayreuth scholarship by the Richard Wagner Society of Mannheim. He is fluent in English and conversant in French and Italian.
As a tenor, Christian Germaine is distinguished by a dark, powerful, and flexible voice with a warm, rounded timbre and exceptional dramatic range. His repertoire spans from heroic and character roles to lyrical and comic parts, including:
– Herodes in Salome
– Aegisth in Elektra
– Siegmund in Die Walküre
– Monostatos and Erster Geharnischter in The Magic Flute
– the Witch in Hänsel und Gretel
– Cecco in Il mondo della luna
– Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor
– Herr Fluth (tenor version) in The Merry Wives of Windsor
He is also at home in the operetta repertoire, performing roles such as Eisenstein (Die Fledermaus), Graf Tassilo (Gräfin Mariza), and Edwin (Die Csárdásfürstin).
In concert, Christian Germaine presents highly individual programs that combine singing with clarinet and saxophone — occasionally switching between voice and instrument within a single piece. He also performs instrumental works alongside his vocal repertoire. This unique versatility creates a distinctive blend of timbres and an immersive experience for audiences. His song repertoire extends from the Baroque to the Romantic era, enriched by Viennese songs and select works from the Musica Leggera tradition.
As a conductor, Christian Germaine brings together precision, charisma, and stylistic versatility. His excellent baton technique, physical expressiveness, and deep insight as both a singer and instrumentalist make him a compelling presence on the podium.
He has extensive experience as a choral conductor, with a repertoire ranging from a cappella works to major oratorios such as Haydn’s The Creation and The Seasons, and Brahms’ Nänie. He has prepared opera choruses and conducted sacred music at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna.
Christian Germaine served as Chief Conductor of the Victorian Concert Orchestra in Australia, where his programming focused on opera arias, waltzes, polkas, and music theatre. He was Musical Director of Melbourne City Opera, conducting all staged productions and overseeing musical preparation for choirs, orchestras, and soloists. He also worked regularly with the Junge Philharmonie Freistadt, conducting programs ranging from Viennese classics to Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and excerpts from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet.
His directorship of the Melbourne Rainbow Band included arrangements from light music, film scores, musicals, and jazz for symphonic wind ensemble. Guest conducting appearances include engagements with the Symphony Orchestra of Kislovodsk (Russia), the Philharmonie Budweis (Czech Republic), and orchestral works with soloists at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
With his rare combination of vocal, instrumental, and conducting expertise, Christian Germaine brings a uniquely multifaceted perspective to every performance.
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