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Christoph DohnanyiGerman conductor
Date of Birth: 18.09.1929
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Professional Beginnings
- Opera Leadership
- Orchestral Leadership
- London Philharmonic Orchestra
- Other Positions
- Personal Life
Early Life and Education
Christoph von Dohnányi was born in Berlin, Germany. He received his early musical education at the St. Thomas School in Leipzig, where he sang in the St. Thomas Choir. After World War II, he studied law in Munich but switched to music and enrolled in the Munich Conservatory in 1948, following in the footsteps of his grandfather rather than his father.
Professional Beginnings
During his student years, von Dohnányi worked as a répétiteur at the Munich Opera. He later pursued further studies at Florida State University under his grandfather. In 1953, he joined the Frankfurt Opera as a répétiteur.
Opera Leadership
Von Dohnányi's career as an opera conductor began with his tenure as director of the Lübeck Opera from 1957 to 1963. He then led the Frankfurt Opera from 1968 to 1977 and the Hamburg Opera from 1977 to 1984. In both cases, he combined the roles of general music director and artistic director.
Orchestral Leadership
From 1964 to 1969, von Dohnányi served as principal conductor of the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra. In 1984, he took over as music director of the Cleveland Orchestra, a post he held until 2002. With the Cleveland Orchestra, he recorded notable works including all the symphonies of Beethoven, Schumann, and Brahms.
London Philharmonic Orchestra
From 1997 to 2008, von Dohnányi was chief conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition to symphonic concerts and recordings, he led several opera productions at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, including works by Stravinsky, Schoenberg, and Humperdinck.
Other Positions
Concurrently with his work in London, von Dohnányi served as musical director of the Orchestre de Paris from 1998 to 2000. Since 2004, he has been chief conductor of the NDR Symphony Orchestra.
