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»Lothar Zagrosek is an exceptional kind of leader. Similar to Simon Rattle, Kent Nagano or his (…) successor Ingo Metzmacher, he stands for a way of making music that does not simply perpetuate late 19th century traditions.« This is how the Berliner Zeitung described the incumbent Chief Director of the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, whose contractual period will continue until 2011.


Lothar Zagrosek received his first musical education as a member of the Regensburger Domspatzen. Later on, he studied conducting with Hans Swarowsky, Istvàn Kertész, Bruno Maderna, and Herbert von Karajan.


He became Musical Director in Solingen and Krefeld-Mönchengladbach, then Chief Conductor of the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. This was followed by a three-year period as Directeur musical at the Grand Opéra in Paris and Chief Guest Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London. From 1990 to 1992, Lothar Zagrosek worked as Musical Director at the Leipzig Opera. He has close ties with the Young German Philharmonic as First Guest Conductor and Artistic Adviser since 1995. From 1997 to 2006, Lothar Zagrosek was the Musical Director at the Württembergische Staatsoper Stuttgart. His achievement at this opera house was twice honoured as »Conductor of the Year« by a critics survey initiated by Opernwelt magazine. During his tenure, the Stuttgart Opera was honoured five times as »Opera of the Year«. Lothar Zagrosek has been Chief Conductor of the Konzerthausorchester Berlin since the 2006/07 season.


Beside his activity as opera conductor, which includes appearances at the Vienna and Hamburg opera houses, the Bayerische Staatsoper München, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Semperoper Dresden, Théâtre de la Monnaie Brussels, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London and the Glyndebourne Festival, Lothar Zagrosek conducts renowned orchestras around the globe, such as the Berliner and Münchner Philharmoniker, the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, all major German radio symphony orchestras, the Wiener Symphoniker, the Orchestra dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia, the Orchestre National de France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal and the NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo. He guest-conducted at the Wiener and Berliner Festwochen, the London Proms, the Münchner Opernfestspiele and Salzburger Festspiele. He regularly participates in contemporary music festivals in Donaueschingen, Berlin, Brussels and Paris. In March 2009 Lothar Zagrosek extensively toured around Great Britain with the Konzerthausorchester Berlin.


Many of his recordings received awards such as the »Grand Prix du Disque«, »Cannes Classical Award« and the »Deutsche Schallplattenpreis«, some were nominated for a »Grammy« award. EuroArts published the legendary Stuttgart »Ring« on DVD, while Naxos released it on CD. A live recording of Ludwig van Beethoven’s symphonies no. 7 and 8 with the Konzerthausorchester Berlin was launched by Altus in 2008. More recordings with the orchestra will follow.


Lothar Zagrosek is dedicated to the promotion of young musicians and cultural education. He patronises the »Offensive Kulturelle Bildung« in Berlin, was Honorary Chairman of the jury for the »2008 Hochschulwettbewerb Dirigieren«, and is Chairman of the advisory board for the »Dirigentenforum« of the Deutsche Musikrat.


In 2006 Lothar Zagrosek was honoured with the Hessische Kulturpreis. His outstanding musical achievements earned him the »Kritikerpreis 2009« in the music section from the Verband der deutschen Kritiker. The award ceremony was celebrated in Berlin in June 2009.
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Discography


• 1984 Christoph Willibald Gluck: »Paride ed Elena« (Orfeo)
• 1989 Gottfried von Einem: »Dantons Tod« (Orfeo)
• 1989 Frank Martin: »Der Cornet« (Orfeo)
»Grand Prix du Disque«
• 1993 Ernst Krenek: »Jonny spielt auf« (Decca)
• 1994 Berthold Goldschmidt: »Der gewaltige Hahnrei« (Decca)
»Cannes Classical Award«
• 1994 Victor Ullmann: »Der Kaiser von Atlantis« (Decca)
»Cannes Classical Award«
• 1995 Hanns Eisler: »Deutsche Sinfonie« (Decca)
• 1996 Paul Hindemith: »Das Unaufhörliche« (Wergo)
• 1998 Hans Krasa: »Verlobung im Traume« (Decca),
»Gramophone editor's choice«, »Diapason d'or«, Deutsche Schallplattenkritik Award
• 1998 Olivier Messiaen: »Saint François d'Assise« (Orfeo)
• 2000 Kurt Weill: »Die sieben Todsünden« (Capriccio)
• 2001 Luigi Nono: »Al Gran Sole Carico D'Amore« (Teldec)
• 2003 Franz Schreker, Erwin Schulhoff, Paul Hindemith: »Tanz Grotesk« (Decca)
• 2003 Helmut Lachenmann: »Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern« (Kairos)
Deutsche Schallplattenkritik Award
• 2005 Walter Braunfels: »Die Vögel« (Decca)
»Grammy« nomination
• 2006 Richard Wagner: »Der Ring des Nibelungen« (Naxos)
• 2008 Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 and No. 8 (Altus)
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