Christian Thielemann

Since the 2012/2013 season, Christian Thielemann has been the Chief Conductor of the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden. After holding positions at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, in Gelsenkirchen, Karlsruhe, Hannover, and Düsseldorf, he became General Music Director in Nuremberg in 1988. In 1997, the Berlin native returned to his hometown as General Music Director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, a position he held until 2004. He then served as General Music Director of the Munich Philharmonic from 2004 to 2011. Besides his position in Dresden, he was the Artistic Director of the Salzburg Easter Festival from 2013 to 2022 and has been the musical advisor and Music Director of the Bayreuth Festival, where he has made a significant impact with his interpretations since his debut in the summer of 2000. In September 2023, Christian Thielemann was appointed as the successor to Daniel Barenboim. He will assume the role of General Music Director of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden starting from the 2024/2025 season.

In recent seasons, Christian Thielemann has dedicated himself intensively to the anniversary composers Wagner, Strauss, and Beethoven. His repertoire in Dresden and on tour also includes works from Bach to Henze, Rihm, and Gubaidulina. At the Semperoper, he recently conducted new productions of »Ariadne auf Naxos«, »Capriccio«, and »Aida«. At the Salzburg Easter Festival, he has conducted productions including »Die Walküre«, »Tosca«, »Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg«, and »Lohengrin«. Christian Thielemann maintains close collaborations with the Berlin Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic, conducting their New Year's Concert in 2019 and again in 2024.

He was the musical advisor and Music Director of the Bayreuth Festival, where his landmark interpretations have made a mark since his debut in the summer of 2000. Additionally, he has accepted invitations from major orchestras in Europe, the United States, Israel, and Asia. Christian Thielemann's discography as an exclusive artist of UNITEL is extensive. His recent recordings with the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden include the symphonies of Anton Bruckner and Robert Schumann, Arnold Schoenberg's »Gurre-Lieder«, and numerous operas.

Christian Thielemann is an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music in London, an honorary professor at the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber in Dresden, and an honorary doctor of the Hochschule für Musik »Franz Liszt« Weimar and the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium. In 2003, he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesverdienstkreuz). In May 2015, he received the Richard Wagner Prize from the Richard Wagner Foundation in Leipzig, and in October 2016, he received the Prize of the Foundation for the Promotion of the Semperoper. In 2022, he was awarded the Badge of Honor of the State of Salzburg and the Golden Coat of Arms Medal of the City of Salzburg. In 2023, the artist received honorary membership and the honorary ring of the Vienna State Opera. In 2024, he was made an honorary member of the Vienna Philharmonic and was honored with the Saxon Constitutional Medal. Christian Thielemann is a patron of the Richard Wagner Sites in Graupa. He has received numerous awards for his recordings.