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. His brother Georg Fritzsch (born 1963) is also a conductor. His other brother, Rainer Fritzsch (born 1974), is a cantor in Radeberg.

Not to be confused with Johannes Fritsch.

Fritzsch continued his musical studies on 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. In January 2013, Fritzsch resigned his Graz posts, effective at the end of January 2013.[1]

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).[2] In July 2007, Fritzsch was named chief conductor of the TQO for an initial contract of three years, beginning in 2008.[3] His first concert as the TQO's chief conductor was in March 2008.[4] In February 2010, the orchestra, whose name reverted to its former name of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in 2010, announced the extension of Fritzsch's contract as chief conductor for another three years, through 2013.[5] In September 2013, the QSO announced the scheduled conclusion of Fritzsch's chief conductorship at the end of 2014.[6] He now has the title of conductor laureate of the TQO.

In 2001, Fritzsch first guest-conducted the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (TSO). In April 2017, the TSO announced the appointment of Fritzsch as its first-ever principal guest conductor, effective January 2018, with an initial contract of three years.[7] Fritzsch has recorded commercially with the TSO for Hyperion Records.[8]

In 1999, Fritzsch married Susan Collins, then the deputy concertmaster of the Sydney Opera House orchestra.[9] They have three daughters.[10] The family resides in Hobart.[11]

References
  1. "Chefdirigent Johannes Fritzsch verlässt Oper Graz". Die Presse. 2013-01-24. Retrieved 2013-02-14.
  2. Elisabeth Wynhausen (17 March 2007). "Back from the brink". The Australian. Archived from the original on 21 March 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2008.
  3. Rosemary Sorensen (2007-07-17). "Conductor aims for the soul". The Australian. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  4. Gillian Wills (2008-03-31). "Panache in weighty program". The Australian. Archived from the original on 2012-12-15. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  5. "Chief Conductor for QSO: Queensland Symphony Orchestra Announces Three-Year Contract Extension for Chief Conductor Johannes Fritzsch" (PDF) (Press release). The Queensland Orchestra. 18 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
  6. Natalie Bochenski (2013-09-04). "Sweet symphony for orchestra in 2014". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2013-12-25.
  7. "TSO appoints Johannes Fritzsch first-ever Principal Guest Conductor" (Press release). Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. 10 April 2017. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
  8. Stephanie Eslake (2017-03-10). "Boyle, Hill Piano Concertos – Piers Lane, Hyperion CDA68135". Limelight. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
  9. Linda Smith (2016-08-14). "Living in perfect harmony". The Mercury. Hobart. Retrieved 2017-01-01.
  10. Anna King Murdoch (2008-03-21). "Johannes Fritzsch unveils a bold orchestra program". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  11. Matthew Westwood (2014-11-11). "Johannes Fritzsch leaves Queensland Symphony Orchestra at crescendo". The Australian. Retrieved 2017-01-01.
Cultural offices
Preceded by
Philippe Jordan		 Chief Conductor Graz Opera and Graz Philharmonic Orchestra
2006–2013		 Succeeded by
Dirk Kaftan
Preceded by
Michael Christie		 Chief Conductor Queensland Symphony Orchestra
2008–2014		 Succeeded by
Alondra de la Parra (music director)
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