Philippe Jordan
Encyclopedia
Philippe Jordan is a Swiss
conductor, and the son of conductor Armin Jordan
. He began to study piano at age 6. At age 8, he joined the Zürich Sängerknaben. His violin studies began at age 11.
At 16, he entered the Zürich Conservatory where he obtained his diploma in piano instruction, with honors. He studied theory and composition with the Swiss composer Hans Ulrich Lehmann and continued his piano studies with Karl Engel. At the same time, he worked as an assistant to Jeffrey Tate
on Richard Wagner
's Der Ring des Nibelungen
at the Châtelet in Paris.
In the 1994/95 season, Jordan was appointed First Kapellmeister of the Ulm Stadttheater. The following year, he made his debut at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels. He has since conducted at the Grand Théâtre in Geneva
, the Vienna Staatsoper, the Châtelet in Paris, the Semperoper
in Dresden
and the Aix-en-Provence International Festival.
From September 1998 to June 2001, Jordan was Kapellmeister and assistant to Daniel Barenboim
at the Berlin State Opera
(Staatsoper unter den Linden). He now holds the title of Principal Guest Conductor at the Staatsoper unter den Linden. Jordan held the position of Chief Conductor of the Graz Opera and Graz Philharmonic Orchestra from September 2001 to June 2004.
In the 2001/02 season, Philippe Jordan made his US operatic debut conducting Samson et Dalila at the Houston Grand Opera and his UK operatic debut conducting Carmen at the Glyndebourne Festival. In the 2002/03 season, he made his debuts at the Metropolitan Opera
and the Royal Opera House
, Covent Garden. He made his first conducting appearance at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich in April 2004, and at the Bastille Opera in Paris in October 2004. His first appearances at the Salzburg Festival took place in the summer of 2004. Jordan conducted pieces by Dvorak, Smetana and Beethoven in his December 2007 debut with the New York Philharmonic
.
In October 2007, Jordan was named the Music Director of the Opéra National de Paris, starting with the 2009-2010 season.. In October 2011, Jordan's contract with the Opéra National de Paris was extended through July 2018. Also in October 2011, Jordan was named the next chief conductor of the Wiener Symphoniker (Vienna Symphony Orchestra), effective with the 2014-2015 season, with an initial contract of 5 years.
In addition to conducting, Jordan also performs as a pianist in recital and chamber music, such as at the Schubertiade Schwarzenberg.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
conductor, and the son of conductor Armin Jordan
Armin Jordan
Armin Jordan , was a Swiss conductor known for his interpretations of French music, Mozart and Wagner.Armin Jordan was born in Lucerne, Switzerland. "Mr...
. He began to study piano at age 6. At age 8, he joined the Zürich Sängerknaben. His violin studies began at age 11.
At 16, he entered the Zürich Conservatory where he obtained his diploma in piano instruction, with honors. He studied theory and composition with the Swiss composer Hans Ulrich Lehmann and continued his piano studies with Karl Engel. At the same time, he worked as an assistant to Jeffrey Tate
Jeffrey Tate
Dr Jeffrey Tate CBE is an English conductor.Tate was born with spina bifida, and also has kyphosis. His family moved to Farnham, Surrey when he was young and he attended Farnham Grammar School between 1954 and 1961 gaining a State Scholarship to Cambridge University, where he directed theatre...
on Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
's Der Ring des Nibelungen
Der Ring des Nibelungen
Der Ring des Nibelungen is a cycle of four epic operas by the German composer Richard Wagner . The works are based loosely on characters from the Norse sagas and the Nibelungenlied...
at the Châtelet in Paris.
In the 1994/95 season, Jordan was appointed First Kapellmeister of the Ulm Stadttheater. The following year, he made his debut at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels. He has since conducted at the Grand Théâtre in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, the Vienna Staatsoper, the Châtelet in Paris, the Semperoper
Semperoper
The Semperoper is the opera house of the Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden and the concert hall of the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden . It is located near the Elbe River in the historic center of Dresden, Germany.The opera house was originally built by the architect Gottfried Semper in 1841...
in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
and the Aix-en-Provence International Festival.
From September 1998 to June 2001, Jordan was Kapellmeister and assistant to Daniel Barenboim
Daniel Barenboim
Daniel Barenboim, KBE is an Argentinian-Israeli pianist and conductor. He has served as music director of several major symphonic and operatic orchestras and made numerous recordings....
at the Berlin State Opera
Berlin State Opera
The Staatsoper Unter den Linden is a German opera company. Its permanent home is the opera house on the Unter den Linden boulevard in the Mitte district of Berlin, which also hosts the Staatskapelle Berlin orchestra.-Early years:...
(Staatsoper unter den Linden). He now holds the title of Principal Guest Conductor at the Staatsoper unter den Linden. Jordan held the position of Chief Conductor of the Graz Opera and Graz Philharmonic Orchestra from September 2001 to June 2004.
In the 2001/02 season, Philippe Jordan made his US operatic debut conducting Samson et Dalila at the Houston Grand Opera and his UK operatic debut conducting Carmen at the Glyndebourne Festival. In the 2002/03 season, he made his debuts at the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
and the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
, Covent Garden. He made his first conducting appearance at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich in April 2004, and at the Bastille Opera in Paris in October 2004. His first appearances at the Salzburg Festival took place in the summer of 2004. Jordan conducted pieces by Dvorak, Smetana and Beethoven in his December 2007 debut with the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
.
In October 2007, Jordan was named the Music Director of the Opéra National de Paris, starting with the 2009-2010 season.. In October 2011, Jordan's contract with the Opéra National de Paris was extended through July 2018. Also in October 2011, Jordan was named the next chief conductor of the Wiener Symphoniker (Vienna Symphony Orchestra), effective with the 2014-2015 season, with an initial contract of 5 years.
In addition to conducting, Jordan also performs as a pianist in recital and chamber music, such as at the Schubertiade Schwarzenberg.