Ioan Holender
Encyclopedia
Ioan Holender is a Romanian born Austria
n opera
administrator.
Holender was born in Timişoara
, Romania
. His family is of Jewish ancestry, and growing up, he spoke 3 languages. His father owned a factory in Timişoara, which was expropriated in 1948. Holender studied mechanical engineering at the Polytechnic University of Timişoara
. He worked as a tennis
coach and a director's assistant until he and his family emigrated to Austria
, where his mother was residing. He intended to continue his engineering studies, but became interested in singing. After completing his music studies, he was an operatic baritone and concert singer with the Klagenfurt
Stadttheater.
In 1966, he began to work at the Starka
theatrical agency, which he eventually took over and whose prestige he increased.
In 1988, Eberhard Waechter named Holender as Secretary-General of the Vienna State Opera
, effective as of 1991. There was controversy as this appointment, because of perceived conflicts of interest between this post and his prior association with his theatrical agency. Eventually, Holender dissociated himself from the Starka business. After Waechter's death in February 1992, Holender became Director of the Vienna State Opera on 1 April 1992. He also led the Vienna Volksoper
for 4 years simultaneously. Holender's contract was extended three times and his tenure is scheduled to conclude on 31 August 2010. At the conclusion of his tenure, he will have been the longest-serving general director in the history of the Vienna State Opera.
Ioan Holender is Member of the Board of the European Academy of Music Theatre
.
Holender and his wife have 2 sons and a daughter.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
administrator.
Holender was born in Timişoara
Timisoara
Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. His family is of Jewish ancestry, and growing up, he spoke 3 languages. His father owned a factory in Timişoara, which was expropriated in 1948. Holender studied mechanical engineering at the Polytechnic University of Timişoara
Polytechnic University of Timisoara
The "Politehnica" University of Timişoara was founded on November 11, 1920. It is one of the largest technical universities in Central and Eastern Europe.The university has 10 faculties and several independent departments....
. He worked as a tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
coach and a director's assistant until he and his family emigrated to Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, where his mother was residing. He intended to continue his engineering studies, but became interested in singing. After completing his music studies, he was an operatic baritone and concert singer with the Klagenfurt
Klagenfurt
-Name:Carinthia's eminent linguists Primus Lessiak and Eberhard Kranzmayer assumed that the city's name, which literally translates as "ford of lament" or "ford of complaints", had something to do with the superstitious thought that fateful fairies or demons tend to live around treacherous waters...
Stadttheater.
In 1966, he began to work at the Starka
Starka
Starka is a traditional dry vodka distilled from rye grain, produced mostly in Poland and Lithuania. Traditional Starka is made from natural rye spirit and aged in oak barrels with small addition of lime-tree and apple-tree leaves. The process of production is similar to that used in whisky...
theatrical agency, which he eventually took over and whose prestige he increased.
In 1988, Eberhard Waechter named Holender as Secretary-General of the Vienna State Opera
Vienna State Opera
The Vienna State Opera is an opera house – and opera company – with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera . In 1920, with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Austrian...
, effective as of 1991. There was controversy as this appointment, because of perceived conflicts of interest between this post and his prior association with his theatrical agency. Eventually, Holender dissociated himself from the Starka business. After Waechter's death in February 1992, Holender became Director of the Vienna State Opera on 1 April 1992. He also led the Vienna Volksoper
Vienna Volksoper
The Vienna Volksoper is a major opera house in Vienna, Austria. It gives about three hundred performances of twenty-five productions during an annual season running from September through June....
for 4 years simultaneously. Holender's contract was extended three times and his tenure is scheduled to conclude on 31 August 2010. At the conclusion of his tenure, he will have been the longest-serving general director in the history of the Vienna State Opera.
Ioan Holender is Member of the Board of the European Academy of Music Theatre
European Academy of Music Theatre
The European Academy of Music Theatre is a Vienna based, non-profit institute which seeks to promote not only a pan-European but also international network for the those active in the theory and praxis of Music Theatre. The organisation frequently holds symposia at various European cities and...
.
Holender and his wife have 2 sons and a daughter.