Johannes Fritzsch

Johannes Fritzsch (born Meissen, Germany, 1960) 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). [cite news | author=Elisabeth Wynhausen | title=Back from the brink | url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21374267-16947,00.html | work=The Australian | date=17 March 2007 | accessdate=2008-04-02] In July 2007, Fritzsch was named chief conductor of The Queensland Orchestra, for an initial contract of 3 years, beginning in 2008. [cite news | author=Rosemary Sorensen | title=Conductor aims for the soul | url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22084430-16947,00.html | work=The Australian | date=17 July 2007 | accessdate=2008-04-02] His first concert as the TQO's chief conductor was in March 2008. [cite news | author=Gillian Wills | title=Panache in weighty program | url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23456630-5013577,00.html | work=The Australian | date=31 March 2008 | accessdate=2008-04-02]

In 1999, Fritzsch married Susan Collins, a violinist with the Sydney Opera House orchestra. They have two daughters. [cite news | author=Anna King Murdoch | title=Johannes Fritzsch unveils a bold orchestra program | url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23409023-5003421,00.html | work=Courier Mail | date=21 March 2008 | accessdate=2008-04-02]

References

External links

* [http://www.thequeenslandorchestra.com.au/asp/index.asp?pgid=10756 The Queensland Orchestra biography of Fritzsch]
* [http://www.theater-graz.com/oper/ensemble.php?bereich=4&person=525 Graz Opera German-language biography of Fritzsch]