New general music director
Thielemann becomes Barenboim’s successor at the Berlin State Opera
Conductor Christian Thielemann and the Vienna Philharmonic at the New Year’s Concert 2019. Photo
© Herbert Neubauer/APA/dpa
After Daniel Barenboim’s retirement from the Berlin State Opera, the successor has now been arranged. The house will continue to be run by one of the greats in the classical music scene.
The conductor Christian Thielemann will be the new general music director at the Berlin State Opera Unter den Linden. The 64-year-old follows Daniel Barenboim, who had to give up the position at the beginning of the year due to illness. Thielemann will take over the office in 2024, as Berlin’s Senator for Culture Joe Chialo (CDU) announced.
Until now, Thielemann had always referred to his contract with the Staatskapelle Dresden, which runs until 2024. The internationally acclaimed conductor was previously artistic director of the Easter Festival in Salzburg and music director of the Bayreuth Festival.
The 80-year-old Barenboim took over the Staatskapelle in 1992 as general music director of the Unter den Linden State Opera. He gave up his musical directorship at the State Opera at the beginning of the year due to health reasons.