Manfred Honeck (born 17 September 1958, inNenzing) is an Austrian conductor. He is the music director of thePittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.[1][2]
Honeck was born in Nenzing, Austria, near the border with Switzerland and Liechtenstein, one of nine children of Otto and Frieda Honeck.[1][2] One of his brothers is the Vienna Philharmonic concertmaster Rainer Honeck. Beginning as a violinist, Honeck received his musical training at theUniversity of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and later played the viola.[3] He subsequently played in theVienna Philharmonic andVienna State Opera Orchestra. His early work as a conductor included a period as assistant toClaudio Abbado with theGustav Mahler Jugendorchester (Youth Orchestra). In 1987, Honeck founded the Vienna Jeunesse Orchestra.[4]
Following his work with the Mahler Jugendorchester, Honeck conducted regularly at theZurich Opera House from 1991 to 1996.[5] In 1993, while conducting at the Zurich Opera House, he was awarded the European Conductor's Award. From 1997 to 1998, he was Music Director of theNorwegian National Opera inOslo, and held a regular position from 1996 to 1999 with theMDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra. In 1998, he was named the Principal Guest Conductor of theOslo Philharmonic.
From 2000 to 2006, Honeck was Music Director of theSwedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Honeck was Principal Guest Conductor of theCzech Philharmonic Orchestra from 2008 to 2011 and then again from 2013 to 2016. He has also been the Artistic Director of the International Concerts Wolfegg in Germany for over 20 years.[6]
Honeck became the General Music Director of theStaatsoper Stuttgart in the 2007–2008 season,[7] with an initial contract for four years.[8] During his tenure in Stuttgart, Honeck conducted productions of Berlioz'sLes Troyens, Mozart'sIdomeneo, Verdi'sAida, Richard Strauss'sDer Rosenkavalier, Poulenc'sDialogues des Carmélites and Wagner'sLohengrin andParsifal, among other works.[9] Honeck formally concluded his tenure with the Staatsoper Stuttgart in 2011.[10][11] On 11 November 2023, Manfred Honeck was appointed Honorary Conductor of theBamberg Symphony.
In May 2006, in the US, Honeck first guest-conducted thePittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO).[12] In November 2006, he returned to Pittsburgh to conduct the PSO.[13]
On 24 January 2007, the PSO named Honeck its ninth music director,[14] effective with the 2008–2009 season for an initial contract of 3 years.[15][16] In September 2009, the PSO announced the extension of Honeck's contract to the 2015–2016 season.[17] In February 2012, the PSO announced the further extension of Honeck's contract through the 2019–2020 season.[18] In September 2018, the PSO announced the further extension of Honeck's contract through the 2021–2022 season.[19] In September 2021, the PSO announced the newest extension of Honeck's contract as music director through the 2027–2028 season.[20]
Honeck's work with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has been documented on recordings with the Exton and Reference labels. Honeck and the PSO have recorded four SACDs for Reference Recordings, of Strauss tone poems, Dvorak's Eighth Symphony and Janacek's Jenufa Suite, Bruckner's Fourth Symphony, andBeethoven's Fifth and Seventh symphonies. Honeck and the PSO's recordings of Bruckner's Symphony No. 4 and Dvorak's Eighth Symphony and Janacek's Jenufa Suite were nominated for Grammy Awards in Best Orchestral Performance in 2015 and 2014, respectively.[21]
Honeck was awarded the honorary title of Professor by the Austrian Federal President in 2016.[9] He holds four Honorary Doctorates fromDuquesne University,Carnegie Mellon University,Catholic University of America, andSaint Vincent College.[22] In 2018, he was named Artist of the Year by theInternational Classical Music Awards.[23] On 28 January 2018, Honeck and the PSO were awarded the 2018Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Performance for their recording ofShostakovich Symphony No. 5 andBarberAdagio for Strings.[21] The recording won a second Grammy for Best Engineered Album (Mark Donahue, engineer).[24]
Honeck lives in the village ofAltach, Vorarlberg, Austria with his wife Christiane and their six children.[25]
Honeck is aRoman Catholic, known for praying prior to his performances.[26]
| Cultural offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Principal Conductor, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra 2000–2006 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Generalmusikdirektor, Staatsoper Stuttgart 2007–2011 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
