Heinrich Christoph Hataš

Heinrich Christoph Hataš was born in Gotha in 1756 and built his career in Germany, as a member of a Czech family in which several members worked as musicians. The son of Dismas Hataš and Anna Františka Hatašová, his profile belongs to the world of German theatre companies of the late eighteenth century.

From January 1778 he served as leader of the orchestra of Friedrich Ludwig Schröder's theatre company in Hamburg. He has also been credited with the musical direction of Brunian's company in Schleswig and Flensburg, but the identification of him with a supposed "Hattasch junior" has not been established.

He composed three singspiels: Der Barbier von Bagdad and Der ehrliche Schweizer, both now lost, and Helva und Zelinde (or Helva und Zelime), of which fragments survive in a score for voice and piano published in Hamburg in 1796.

The attribution of some sacred works and some partitas for wind instruments to the various Hataš musicians is uncertain, since the sources do not always specify the Christian name. Nor should he be confused with Jan Heteš, a Czech composer and virtuoso cellist from Liblín, whose output may lead to misidentification.