Louis Lebherz '71

Louis Lebherz has had an extensive career as an international level operatic and concert basso, culminating with sixteen seasons as the principal bass of the Los Angeles Opera. He has appeared as a leading bass with other such notable opera companies as the Royal Opera Covent Garden, L’Opera de Geneva, San Carlo Opera Lisbon, L’Opera de Monte Carlo, Teatro Massimo Palermo, Scottish Opera, Opera Caracas, L’Opera de Montreal, and Washington Opera Kennedy Center. He was engaged as the house, principal, dramatic bass with two European companies in Karlsruhe, Germany and Bern Switzerland.  As a concert artist he has been heard with such notable orchestras as The American Symphony, L’Orchestra de la Suisse Romand, Barcelona Symphony and the Caracas Symphony.

Mr. Lebherz began his musical studies at Chapman University where his love of choral music was nurtured under the baton of Dr. William D. Hall.  He has been a frequent soloist in the Los Angeles area with the William Hall Chorale, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Ventura Chorale, and the Pacific Chorale to name but a few.  After his graduation from Chapman University, he has served his alma mater in a number of capacities including artist-in-residence, adjunct professor, and as a spokesperson and performer for numerous fund raising ventures for the School of Music.

At the Los Angeles Opera, Mr. Lebherz was used extensively by the company to perform and speak at fund raising events.  In November of 2000, he was the spokesperson for the opera’s development department for the very successful campaign to obtain corporate sponsorship by Audi Corporation of America, which now brings in $500,000 to LA Opera each year.

Since 1999, Mr. Lebherz has served as the Director of Music Liturgy at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Pacific Palisades, and a former Artist-in-Residence and professor of voice at Chapman University in Orange, California.  He is also the new Executive Director of the Westchester/Culver City Symphony.

Louis Lebherz at the Redlands Bowl