Johannes Fritzsch
Encyclopedia
Johannes Fritzsch is a German conductor. His father, a cantor and organist, was his first music teacher, in piano and organ. Later, he studied violin and trumpet. He attended the Carl Maria von Weber Music Academy
in Dresden
, studying conducting, piano and trumpet.
In 1982, Fritzsch took his first conducting post, as second Kapellmeister at the Rostock
Volkstheater, where his conducting duties included the first East German performances of Hans Werner Henze
's The English Cat
in 1986. From 1987 to 1992, Fritzsch was a Kapellmeister with the Staatsoper Dresden
, Semperoper
.
From 1992 to 1993, he was first Kapellmeister at the Staatsoper Hannover
. From 1993 to 1999, he served as music director and chief conductor at the Städtische Bühnen and the Philharmonisches Orchester in Freiburg. He was Generalmusikdirektor (GMD) of the Staatsoper Nürnberg in the 2005-2006 season. In Austria
, he became chief conductor of the Graz Philharmonic Orchestra and the Graz Opera in 2006.
Fritzsch made his first conducting appearance in Australia
in 1992 for an Opera Australia
production of Hänsel und Gretel. He conducted a recording of Richard Strauss tone poems with The Queensland Orchestra (TQO). In July 2007, Fritzsch was named chief conductor of the TQO for an initial contract of 3 years, beginning in 2008. His first concert as the TQO's chief conductor was in March 2008. In February 2010, the orchestra, whose name reverted to its former name of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra
in 2010, announced the extension of Fritzsch's contract as chief conductor for another 3 years, through 2013.
In 1999, Fritzsch married Susan Collins, a violinist with the Sydney Opera House
orchestra. They have three daughters.
Hochschule für Musik "Carl Maria von Weber"
The "Carl Maria von Weber" College of Music is a college of music in Dresden, Germany.- History :...
in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, studying conducting, piano and trumpet.
In 1982, Fritzsch took his first conducting post, as second Kapellmeister at the Rostock
Rostock
Rostock -Early history:In the 11th century Polabian Slavs founded a settlement at the Warnow river called Roztoc ; the name Rostock is derived from that designation. The Danish king Valdemar I set the town aflame in 1161.Afterwards the place was settled by German traders...
Volkstheater, where his conducting duties included the first East German performances of Hans Werner Henze
Hans Werner Henze
Hans Werner Henze is a German composer of prodigious output best known for "his consistent cultivation of music for the theatre throughout his life"...
's The English Cat
The English Cat
The English Cat is an opera in two acts by Hans Werner Henze to an English libretto by Edward Bond, based on Les peines de coeur d'une chatte anglaise by Honoré de Balzac...
in 1986. From 1987 to 1992, Fritzsch was a Kapellmeister with the Staatsoper Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, Semperoper
Semperoper
The Semperoper is the opera house of the Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden and the concert hall of the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden . It is located near the Elbe River in the historic center of Dresden, Germany.The opera house was originally built by the architect Gottfried Semper in 1841...
.
From 1992 to 1993, he was first Kapellmeister at the Staatsoper Hannover
Staatsoper Hannover
Staatsoper Hannover is an opera house and opera company in Hanover. It is one of the leading opera companies in Germany.During the course of its season from September to June, Staatsoper Hannover mounts productions of a variety of operas from the standard operatic repertoire as well as 20th century...
. From 1993 to 1999, he served as music director and chief conductor at the Städtische Bühnen and the Philharmonisches Orchester in Freiburg. He was Generalmusikdirektor (GMD) of the Staatsoper Nürnberg in the 2005-2006 season. In Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, he became chief conductor of the Graz Philharmonic Orchestra and the Graz Opera in 2006.
Fritzsch made his first conducting appearance in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1992 for an Opera Australia
Opera Australia
Opera Australia is the principal opera company in Australia. Based in Sydney, its performance season at the Sydney Opera House runs for approximately eight months of the year, with the remainder of its time spent in the The Arts Centre in Melbourne...
production of Hänsel und Gretel. He conducted a recording of Richard Strauss tone poems with The Queensland Orchestra (TQO). In July 2007, Fritzsch was named chief conductor of the TQO for an initial contract of 3 years, beginning in 2008. His first concert as the TQO's chief conductor was in March 2008. In February 2010, the orchestra, whose name reverted to its former name of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Queensland Symphony Orchestra
The Queensland Symphony Orchestra is an Australian orchestra, based principally in Brisbane in the state of Queensland.The QSO played its first concert on 26 March 1947, with the orchestra consisting of 45 musicians, conducted by Percy Code. John Farnsworth Hall was recruited from the Sydney...
in 2010, announced the extension of Fritzsch's contract as chief conductor for another 3 years, through 2013.
In 1999, Fritzsch married Susan Collins, a violinist with the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
orchestra. They have three daughters.