Christian Thielemann

In the early part of his career, Christian Thielemann (born in Berlin in 1959) seemed to conform to the modern image of the jet-setting conductor traversing continents to fulfil engagements, working fruitfully with the Philharmonia Orchestra in London and New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Since turning 40, however, Thielemann has increasingly concentrated his activities in German-speaking countries. From 1997 to 2004 he ran the Deutsche Oper Berlin, before becoming music director of the Munich Philharmonic (2004) and chief conductor of the Dresden Staatskapelle (2012). Thielemann has also worked closely with the Vienna Philharmonic, especially at the Salzburg Easter Festival, where he was named artistic director in 2013. In all these posts Thielemann developed a reputation for somewhat conservative, old-school music-making, citing Herbert von Karajan and Wilhelm Furtwängler as influences. Flexible, expansive tempos and rich orchestral textures are hallmarks of his style, and he concentrates mainly on the great composers of the Austro-German tradition—Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Schumann, and Wagner among them. Thielemann’s connection with the annual Wagner festival in Bayreuth, Germany, has been especially significant. Since debuting in 2000 he has conducted all 10 Wagner operas regularly performed at the festival, and is widely considered one of the leading Wagner interpreters of the 21st century.