Helmut Seydelmann
Helmut Seydelmann (born May 19, 1901 in Niederlangenau, Habelschwerdt district, Silesia (today Długopole Dolne ), † January 17, 1962 in Berlin ) was a German conductor. He was general music director of the State Theater Dessau (1934–51), the Leipzig Opera (1951–61) and the German State Opera Berlin (1961–62).
Life
His training began with violin and piano lessons in Wroclaw . He received his first engagement as a répétiteur at the Wroclaw City Theater , where he became first Kapellmeister in 1926. In 1929 he went to the Frankfurt / Main Opera House under Clemens Krauss . After a successful rehearsal with Wagner's Götterdämmerung , he was given the position of General Music Director in Dessau as the successor to Arthur Rother . Seydelmann worked from 1934 to 1951 as general music director at the Dessau Theater . On May 29, 1938 he conducted Webers Freischütz for the opening of the theater on today's Friedensplatz . With the closure of all theaters in 1944, he was called up for military service. After the war he was one of the initiators for the resumption of gaming operations, which could take place at Christmas 1945 with Beethoven's Fidelio in the Crystal Palace in Dessau .
For the reopening of the Great House in August 1949, he conducted Mozart's Magic Flute . With director Willy Bodenstein , he founded Wagner care in Dessau. He married the solo dancer Ursula Cain (student of Mary Wigman ), who went to Leipzig with him. In 1951 he was appointed general music director of the Leipzig City Theater , where he also directed the Gewandhaus orchestra at opera performances. During his tenure in Leipzig he conducted more than 25 premieres, including the German premiere of Wladimir Nikolojewitsch Krjukow's Der Postmeister and the world premiere of Alan Bush's Wat Tyler . In addition to the European repertoire, he has conducted rarities such as Iwan Sussanin by Michail Glinka , The Favorite by Rudolf Wagner-Regeny , The Landlady of Pinsk by Richard Mohaupt , The Witch of Passau by Ottmar Gerster , Katrena ( Krútňava ) by Eugen Suchoň and The Men of Blackmoore by Alan Bush. He also devoted himself to the care of Handel with rehearsals by Rodelinda and Radamisto in the production of Heinz Rückert , the co-founder of the Handel renaissance in Halle. For the opening of the new Leipzig Opera House in October 1960, he conducted Wagner's Meistersinger von Nürnberg in the legendary production by opera director Joachim Herz .
After a brilliant performance of Beethoven's 9th Symphony at the opening of the Berlin Festival in 1961, he was appointed general music director at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin in November 1961, but died in Berlin in January 1962 at the age of only 60. He was the recipient of the GDR National Prize .
literature
- Manfred Haedler: Helmut Seydelmann. In: Meyer's New Lexicon. Volume 7: Ricardo – Tema. VEB Bibliographisches Institut, Leipzig 1964, DNB 453034012 .
Arthur Nikisch (1878–1886) | Gustav Mahler (1886–1888) | Otto Lohse (1912–1923) | Gustav Brecher (1924–1933) | Paul Schmitz (1933–1951) | Helmut Seydelmann (1951–1962) | Rolf Reuter (1961 / 63–1978) and Paul Schmitz (1964–1973) | Lothar Zagrosek (1990-1992) | Jiří Kout (1993–1999) | Michail Jurowski (1999–2001) | Riccardo Chailly (2005-2008) | Ulf Schirmer (since 2009)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Seydelmann, Helmut |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German conductor and general music director |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 19, 1901 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Niederlangenau , Habelschwerdt district , Silesia |
| DATE OF DEATH | 17th January 1962 |
| Place of death | Berlin |