Lothar Koenigs
Encyclopedia
Lothar Koenigs is a German
conductor
.
Koenigs received his general secondary education at Aachen's Kaiser-Karls-Gymnasium, while studying piano and conducting at the Cologne Conservatory. After his studies he held appointments in Hagen
, Münster
and Bonn
. From 2000 to 2003, he was Generalmusikdirektor (GMD) at the Osnabrück Theatre
. His freelance work since his Osnabrück tenure has included engagements at the Opéra National de Lyon
of Wozzeck (2003), a Janáček
cycle of Jenufa
, Káťa Kabanová
and The Makropulos Affair
(2004), and Lohengrin
(2006).
Koenigs first conducted the orchestra of Welsh National Opera
(WNO) in January 2005. He subsequently appeared as a guest conductor in WNO productions of Salome (opera)
and Khovanshchina
. In July 2008, WNO appointed Koenigs its next music director, effective with the 2009-2010 season. His initial WNO contract is for 5 years. He made his Proms conducting debut on 17 July 2010 with a concert performance of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
, with Bryn Terfel
as Hans Sachs
, in the first complete performance of Die Meistersinger at The Proms.
In the United States, Koenigs made his first conducting appearance at the Metropolitan Opera
in December 2008 with Don Giovanni
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
.
Koenigs received his general secondary education at Aachen's Kaiser-Karls-Gymnasium, while studying piano and conducting at the Cologne Conservatory. After his studies he held appointments in Hagen
Hagen
Hagen is the 39th-largest city in Germany, located in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located on the eastern edge of the Ruhr area, 15 km south of Dortmund, where the rivers Lenne, Volme and Ennepe meet the river Ruhr...
, Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
and Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
. From 2000 to 2003, he was Generalmusikdirektor (GMD) at the Osnabrück Theatre
Theater Osnabrück
Theater Osnabrück is a German theater in Osnabrück, Germany. It operates under the auspices of the Städtische Bühnen Osnabrück gGmbH. The primary performance venues are the Theater am Domhof and the emma-theater .The roots of the company date back to 1771, with theatrical presentations at the...
. His freelance work since his Osnabrück tenure has included engagements at the Opéra National de Lyon
Opéra National de Lyon
Opéra National de Lyon is an opera company in Lyon, France which performs in the Nouvel Opéra, a modernized version in 1993 of the original 1831 opera house.The inaugural performance of François-Adrien Boïeldieu's La Dame blanche was given on 1 July 1831...
of Wozzeck (2003), a Janáček
Leoš Janácek
Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
cycle of Jenufa
Jenufa
Jenůfa is an opera in three acts by Leoš Janáček to a Czech libretto by the composer, based on the play Její pastorkyňa by Gabriela Preissová. It was first performed at the Brno Theater, Brno, 21 January 1904...
, Káťa Kabanová
Káta Kabanová
Káťa Kabanová is an opera in three acts, with music by Leoš Janáček to a libretto by Vincenc Červinka, based on The Storm, a play by Alexander Ostrovsky. The opera was also largely inspired by Janáček's love for Kamila Stösslová...
and The Makropulos Affair
The Makropulos Affair
The Makropulos Affair The Makropulos Affair The Makropulos Affair (or The Makropoulos Case, or The Makropulos Secret or, literally, The Makropulos Thing; (Czech Věc Makropulos) is a three-act opera by Czech composer Leoš Janáček...
(2004), and Lohengrin
Lohengrin (opera)
Lohengrin is a romantic opera in three acts composed and written by Richard Wagner, first performed in 1850. The story of the eponymous character is taken from medieval German romance, notably the Parzival of Wolfram von Eschenbach and its sequel, Lohengrin, written by a different author, itself...
(2006).
Koenigs first conducted the orchestra of Welsh National Opera
Welsh National Opera
Welsh National Opera is an opera company founded in Cardiff, Wales in 1943. The WNO tours Wales, the United Kingdom and the rest of the world extensively. Annually, it gives more than 120 performances of eight main stage operas to a combined audience of around 150,000 people...
(WNO) in January 2005. He subsequently appeared as a guest conductor in WNO productions of Salome (opera)
Salome
Salome , the Daughter of Herodias , is known from the New Testament...
and Khovanshchina
Khovanshchina
Khovanshchina is an opera in five acts by Modest Mussorgsky. The work was written between 1872 and 1880 in St. Petersburg, Russia. The composer wrote the libretto based on historical sources...
. In July 2008, WNO appointed Koenigs its next music director, effective with the 2009-2010 season. His initial WNO contract is for 5 years. He made his Proms conducting debut on 17 July 2010 with a concert performance of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg is an opera in three acts, written and composed by Richard Wagner. It is among the longest operas still commonly performed today, usually taking around four and a half hours. It was first performed at the Königliches Hof- und National-Theater in Munich, on June 21,...
, with Bryn Terfel
Bryn Terfel
Bryn Terfel Jones CBE is a Welsh bass-baritone opera and concert singer. Terfel was initially associated with the roles of Mozart, particularly Figaro and Leporello, but has subsequently shifted his attention to heavier roles, especially those by Wagner....
as Hans Sachs
Hans Sachs
Hans Sachs was a German meistersinger , poet, playwright and shoemaker.-Biography:Hans Sachs was born in Nuremberg . His father was a tailor. He attended Latin school in Nuremberg...
, in the first complete performance of Die Meistersinger at The Proms.
In the United States, Koenigs made his first conducting appearance at the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
in December 2008 with Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the Teatro di Praga on October 29, 1787...
.