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Biographies
ACHIM THORWALD/BADISCHE STAATSKAPELLE
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Achim Thorwald
Director of the Karlsruhe Theatre
Achim Thorwald, born in Stuttgart in 1943, studied at the Salzburg Mozarteum. He later worked as an actor and director in Hamburg and Neurenberg. In 1975 he became the Head Producer of the Freiburg Municiple Theatre, a year later he became the Director of the Württemberg Municiple Theatre in Esslingen. From 1985 to 1988 he was the Director of the Würzburg Municiple Theatre. From 1988 to 1980 he worked as a freelance actor and director in productions at the Karlsruhe State Theatre, at the Marburg Theatre and at the Bremerhaven Municiple Theatre. In 1989 he became the Director of the Münster Municiple Theatre. Five years later he was nominated Director of the Hessen State Theatre in Wiesbaden. In 2002-2003 he took over as Director of the Karlsruhe State Theatre.
Badische Staatskapelle
Karlsruhe Theatre
The Badische Staatskapelle, the concert and opera orchestra of Karlsruhe's State Theatre, boasts a long rich history. The first official mention of the orchestra of the Baden-Durlach court dates back to 1662. Famous composers have been directors: Franz Liszt, who directed Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in 1853 and, ten years later, Richard Wagner, who directed two concerts of his own creation. The world premiere of Johannes Brahms' First Symphony in 1876 marked an historical moment for the orchestra. Between 1880 to 1904, under the musical direction of Felix Mottl, the theatre was nicknamed "small Bayreuth". In 1913 Richard Strauss directed his orchestral works and compositions at the theatre, marking the first "Richard-Strauss week". In the 1920s Hans Pfitzner was invited to direct the orchestra on numerous occasions. The Badische Staatskapelle, which received this title in 1933, made a name for itself after WWII for the production of a great number of discs and CD's, with compositions (amongst others) by Rihm, Berg and Schreker. The orchestra is also renowned for the first recording of Brahms' First Symphony, as well as the complete recording of Wagners' Ring of the Niebelung, under the direction of Günter Neuhold. Famous composers have been invited to direct the orchestra, including Werner Egk, Wolfgang Fortner and Michael Tippett. In 1975 the orchestra inaugurated its new theatre with Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. In 1978 the Händel-Festspiele (of international repute) was founded, and five years later the Europäische Kulturtage festival was born, adding to the Badische Staatskapelle's solid standing. After the famous directors Arthur Grüber and Christoph Prick, between 1996 to 2002 it was Kazushi Ono's turn. In 2003, Anthony Bramall, who succeeded Kazushi Ono as Musical Director, was named "best orchestra director of the season" by the Opernwelt review.
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