Leopold Hager
Encyclopedia
Leopold Hager is an Austria
n conductor
(born October 6, 1935, Salzburg
), known for his interpretations of works from the First Viennese School
(Haydn
, Mozart
, Beethoven
and Schubert
).
Hager studied piano, organ, harpsichord, conducting, and composition at the Salzburg Mozarteum (1949–1957) with Paumgartner, Wimberger, Bresgen, J.N. David, and Kornauth. He was appointed assistant conductor at the Mainz City Theater (1957–1962) and, after conducting the Linz Landestheater (1962–1964), he was appointed first conductor of the Cologne Opera (1964–1965). He then served as Generalmusikdirektor in Freiburg im Breisgau (1965–1969), chief conductor of the Mozarteum Orchestra and of the Landestheater in Salzburg (1969–1981). In October 1976 he debuted at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York when conducting Le nozze di Figaro. He also appeared as a guest conductor with other opera houses as well as orchestras in Europe
(Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, etc.) and the United States
. In 1981, he became music director of the Orchestre Symphonique de Radio-Télé-Luxembourg (now the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra), and concluded his tenure there in 1996.
Until 2004, Hager taught Orchestral Conducting at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, continuing a direct line of renowned teachers including Clemens Krauss
, Hans Swarowsky, and succeeding Karl Österreicher.
From 2005 to 2008, Leopold Hager served as Chief Conductor at the Volksoper in Vienna, conducting their new productions of The Magic Flute, La Traviata, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Les Contes d'Hoffman and Turandot.
A frequent conductor at the Vienna State Opera
, Leopold Hager has worked with such orchestras as the Vienna Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Staatskapelle Dresden, Munich Philharmonic, Münchner Rundfunkorchester, Bamberger Symphoniker, NDR Sinfonieorchester Hamburg, MDR Sinfonieorchester Leipzig, Berlin Symphony Orchestra
, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
, Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris
, Orchestre National de Lille and the National Symphony Orchestra
in Washington, D.C.
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 conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
(born October 6, 1935, Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
), known for his interpretations of works from the First Viennese School
First Viennese School
The First Viennese School is a name mostly used to refer to three composers of the Classical period in Western art music in late-18th-century Vienna: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven. Franz Schubert is occasionally added to the list.In German speaking countries, the...
(Haydn
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
, Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
, Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
and Schubert
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
).
Hager studied piano, organ, harpsichord, conducting, and composition at the Salzburg Mozarteum (1949–1957) with Paumgartner, Wimberger, Bresgen, J.N. David, and Kornauth. He was appointed assistant conductor at the Mainz City Theater (1957–1962) and, after conducting the Linz Landestheater (1962–1964), he was appointed first conductor of the Cologne Opera (1964–1965). He then served as Generalmusikdirektor in Freiburg im Breisgau (1965–1969), chief conductor of the Mozarteum Orchestra and of the Landestheater in Salzburg (1969–1981). In October 1976 he debuted at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York when conducting Le nozze di Figaro. He also appeared as a guest conductor with other opera houses as well as orchestras in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
(Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, etc.) and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 1981, he became music director of the Orchestre Symphonique de Radio-Télé-Luxembourg (now the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra), and concluded his tenure there in 1996.
Until 2004, Hager taught Orchestral Conducting at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, continuing a direct line of renowned teachers including Clemens Krauss
Clemens Krauss
Clemens Heinrich Krauss was an Austrian conductor and opera impresario, particularly associated with the music of Richard Strauss.-Biography:...
, Hans Swarowsky, and succeeding Karl Österreicher.
From 2005 to 2008, Leopold Hager served as Chief Conductor at the Volksoper in Vienna, conducting their new productions of The Magic Flute, La Traviata, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Les Contes d'Hoffman and Turandot.
A frequent conductor at 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...
, Leopold Hager has worked with such orchestras as the Vienna Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
The Česká filharmonie is a symphony orchestra based in Prague and is the best-known and most respected orchestra in the Czech Republic.- History :...
, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Staatskapelle Dresden, Munich Philharmonic, Münchner Rundfunkorchester, Bamberger Symphoniker, NDR Sinfonieorchester Hamburg, MDR Sinfonieorchester Leipzig, Berlin Symphony Orchestra
Berlin Symphony Orchestra
The Konzerthausorchester Berlin is a symphony orchestra based in Berlin, Germany. The orchestra is resident at the Konzerthaus Berlin, designed by the architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel...
, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is a symphony orchestra of the Netherlands, based at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. In 1988, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands conferred the "Royal" title upon the orchestra...
, Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris
Orchestre de Paris
The Orchestre de Paris is a French orchestra based in Paris. The orchestra performs most of its concerts at the Salle Pleyel.-History:In 1967, following the dissolution of the Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, conductor Charles Munch was called on by the Minister of Culture,...
, Orchestre National de Lille and the National Symphony Orchestra
National Symphony Orchestra
The National Symphony Orchestra , founded in 1931, is an American symphony orchestra that performs at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.-History:...
in Washington, D.C.