Christian Thielemann

Christian Thielemann was Principal Conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden between 2012 and 2024. He began as general music director at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin in the 2024-25 season.  After holding positions at Deutsche Oper Berlin, in Gelsenkirchen, Karlsruhe, Hannover, and Düsseldorf, he became General Music Director in Nuremberg in 1988. In 1997, the Berlin-born conductor came to his home town as general music director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, before becoming GMD at the Munich Philharmonic from 2004 to 2011. Besides serving as GMD in Dresden, he was from 2013 to 2022 the artistic director of the Salzburg Easter Festival and musical advisor and director at the Bayreuth Festival. Christian Thielemann works closely with both the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonics, and conducted the New Year’s Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic in 2019 and 2024. He has received many invitations to conduct at the most important orchestras and opera houses around the world.

Christian Thielemann is an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music in London, honorary professor at Hochschule für Musik “Carl Maria von Weber” Dresden, and was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Hochschule für Musik “Franz Liszt” Weimar and KU Leuven in Belgium. In 2003, he was awarded Germany’s Order of Merit, in May 2015 he received the Richard-Wagner Prize of the Richard-Wagner-Stiftung Leipzig, and in October 2016 the Semperoper Foundation Prize. In 2022, he received the Ehrenzeichen of the State of Salzburg and the Wappenmedaille in Gold of the city of Salzburg. In 2023, he was named an honorary member of the Vienna State Opera and received the company’s Ring of Honor. He was named an honorary member of the Vienna Philharmonic in 2024 and honorary conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden. The Free State of Saxony also awarded him with the Saxon Constitutional Medal. Christian Thielemann is patron of the Richard-Wagner-Stätten Graupa. He has received numerous awards for his extensive recordings.

He was Musical Advisor and Music Director of the Bayreuth Festival, at which he has made his mark with his interpretations every year since his debut in the summer of 2000. In addition, he has been invited to conduct the leading orchestras of Europe, the United States, Israel and Asia.

As a UNITEL exclusive artist, Christian Thielemann has a comprehensive catalogue of recordings. His most recent projects with the Staatskapelle have been to record the symphonies of Anton Bruckner and Robert Schumann, Arnold Schoenberg’s »Gurre- Lieder« as well as numerous operas.

Christian Thielemann is an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music in London, honorary professor at Dresden’s Carl Maria von Weber College of Music and holds honorary doctorates from the »Franz Liszt« University of Music in Weimar and the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. In 2003 he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. In May 2015 he received the Richard Wagner Prize from the Richard Wagner Society of the city of Leipzig, followed by the Prize of the Semperoper Trust in October 2016. In April 2022 he was awarded the Badge of Honor of the Province of Salzburg and in July 2022 he was awarded the Coat of Arms Medal in Gold of the City of Salzburg. 2023 he received honorary membership and the Ring of Honour of the Wiener Staatsoper. In 2024, he was made an honorary member of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Conductor Laureate of the Staatskapelle Dresden. The Free State of Saxony also awarded him the Saxon Constitutional Medal.

He is patron of the Richard-Wagner-Stätten in Graupa. His recordings have been showered with awards.