Baritone Christian Gerhaher has a major career on both the operatic and recital stages. He possesses a very distinct, attractive voice, a bit higher in the baritone range than is usual. He also holds a doctorate degree in medicine and has extensively studied philosophy. 1998 was a pivotal year for Gerhaher: he obtained his medical degree, won the Prix International Pro Musicis, and joined the Stadttheater Würzburg. Meanwhile, he began making critically acclaimed appearances with pianist Gerold Huber and quickly built a reputation in opera, as well. In the 2010s, as his voice deepened somewhat, he took on operatic roles such as Wolfram in Wagner's Tannhäuser and continued his focus on lieder repertory. In 2022, Gerhaher and Heinz Holliger teamed up on a pair of recordings: Othmar Schoeck's Elegie with the Kammerorchester Basel and Holliger's opera Lunea, which was written for and dedicated to Gerhaher.