Joana Mallwitz | |
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 Mallwitz conducting | |
| Born | (1986-09-23)23 September 1986 Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, Germany |
| Education | Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover |
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Joana Mallwitz (born 23 September 1986) is a German conductor and pianist. She is the principal conductor of theKonzerthausorchester Berlin.
Born inHildesheim in 1986, Mallwitz began to study violin at age 3, and piano at age 5.[1] At age 14, she became a pupil of Christa-Maria Hartmann andKarl-Heinz Kämmerling. She continued her music studies at theHochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover, where her teachers included Martin Brauss andEiji Ōue, in conducting, and she continued piano studies with Kämmerling and with Bernd Goetzke. In 2004, she received a conducting scholarship from theStudienstiftung des deutschen Volkes.[2]
In 2006, Mallwitz joined the conducting staff of the Theater und Orchester Heidelberg, at the invitation of then-GMDCornelius Meister, as arepetiteur. During her third month of work in Heidelberg, she made her debut professional conducting appearance there, at 6 hours' notice, at the first night of the company's new production ofMadama Butterfly.[1][3] From 2007 to 2011, she worked in Heidelberg asZweite Kapellmeisterin (Second Kapellmeister) and assistant to the GMD. In 2009, she was a recipient of thePraetorius Musik-Förderpreis.[4]
In July 2013, Mallwitz was namedGeneralmusikdirektorin (General Music Director; GMD) of theTheater Erfurt, the first woman conductor named to the post in the institution's history.[4] She formally took up the post with the 2014–2015 season, at the time, the youngest GMD of a German opera house.[5] She concluded her Erfurt tenure at the close of the 2017–2018 season.[6]
In October 2017, theStaatstheater Nürnberg announced the appointment of Mallwitz as its new GMD, effective with the 2018–2019 season.[7] She was the first female conductor to be named to the Nürnberg post.[8] Her work in Nürnberg included the establishment of anExpeditionskonzert series for introduction of orchestral works to audiences.[9] In August 2020, Mallwitz made her debut at theSalzburg Festival withCosì fan tutte, the third female conductor ever to conduct an opera production at the Salzburg Festival, and the first female conductor directly scheduled in advance by the Salzburg Festival for an opera production.[10] Mallwitz stood down as GMD of the Staatstheater Nürnberg at the close of the 2022–2023 season.[11] In April 2024, the Staatsphilharmonie Nürnberg, the orchestra of the Staatstheater Nürnberg, named Mallwitz itsEhrendirigentin (honorary conductor), the first conductor granted this title in the history of the orchestra.[12]
Mallwitz first guest-conducted theKonzerthausorchester Berlin during the 2020–2021 season. In August 2021, the orchestra announced the appointment of Mallwitz as its next chief conductor and artistic director, effective with the 2023–2024 season, with an initial contract of five seasons. Mallwitz is the first female conductor to be named chief conductor of the Konzerthausorchester Berlin,[13][14] and the first female conductor to be named chief conductor of any Berlin orchestra.[15]
Mallwitz is married to the German tenorSimon Bode [de], who is an ensemble member of theOper Frankfurt.[1][16] In 2019,Opernwelt magazine voted Mallwitz itsDirigentin des Jahres ('Conductor of the Year').[17] In November 2020, Mallwitz received theSonderpreis (Special Prize) of the Bavarian Culture Prize.[18] Mallwitz and Bode had their first child in 2021.[15][19] Mallwitz is featured as conductor on a commercial recording for Oehms Classics and on a DVD for Deutsche Grammophon of the 2020 Salzburg Festival production ofCosì fan tutte.[20]
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| Preceded by Walter E. Gugerbauer | General Music Director, Theater Erfurt 2014–2018 | Succeeded by Myron Michailidis |
| Preceded by | General Music Director, Staatstheater Nürnberg 2018–2023 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Principal Conductor, Konzerthausorchester Berlin 2023–present | Succeeded by incumbent |
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