Siegfried Köhler (conductor)

Siegfried Köhler (born July 30, 1923 in Freiburg im Breisgau ; † September 12, 2017 in Wiesbaden ) was a German conductor and composer .

Life

After studying at the Freiburg University of Music, majoring in harp, and working as a harpist, percussionist and répétiteur at the Freiburg Municipal Theaters , Köhler accepted an engagement at the Heilbronn Theater in 1941 as a harpist and solo repetitor. From 1942, there followed three years of military service . In 1946 Köhler returned to Freiburg as Kapellmeister. In 1952 he became first conductor there. In 1954 he moved to the Düsseldorf Opera, later the Deutsche Oper am Rhein . From 1957 he conducted at the Opera in Cologne , whose interim direction he took over in 1962 as Deputy General Music Director, as well as the direction of the opera studio at the Musikhochschule . From 1964 he was general music director of the Saarland State Theater in Saarbrücken , where he also received a professorship for conducting at the Saarland University of Music and Theater .

Between 1974 and 1988 he held the post of general music director at the Hessian State Theater in Wiesbaden . He then became court conductor at the Royal Opera in Stockholm . In addition, Köhler has made international guest appearances with major orchestras.

His artistic career is documented through radio and television recordings as well as recordings. He presented his autobiography in 2003 under the title Alles Capriolen , which is also featured in an operetta composed by him . Siegfried Köhler is next to Dame Gwyneth Jones , Catarina Ligendza , Siegmund Nimsgern and the also deceased Astrid Varnay honorary member of the Richard-Wagner-Verband Saarland .

Works

Stage works

• Siebenschön (ballet after Ludwig Bechstein )
• All caprioles (operetta)
• Sabine, be demure (musical based on August von Kotzebue )
• Old Germany (Musical)
• WirbelWind and WonneWolken (Revue-Oper)
• Ladies and Gentlemen (Musical Detective Comedy)

Instrumental works

• Humoresque for harp solo
• Tango, a vision for a large orchestra
• Passion, dance scene for large orchestra

admission

• Oscar Straus : The funny Nibelungs . With Martin Gantner (Gunther), Daphne Evangelatos (Ute), Michael Nowak (Siegfried), Gerd Grochowski (Dankwart), Hein Heidbuchel (Volker), Gabriele Henkel (Giselher), Lisa Griffith (Kriemhild), Josef Otten (Hagen), Gudrun Volkert (Brunhilde), Christine Mann (Vogel). Kölner Rundfunkchor , Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester , Siegfried Köhler (conductor). (Capriccio - C10753)

Awards

• 1978: Federal Cross of Merit on ribbon
• 1985: Federal Cross of Merit, 1st class
• 1992: Honorary title of “Royal Court Kapellmeister”, awarded by the Swedish King

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Volker Milch: Wiesbaden's ex-general music director Siegfried Köhler died at the age of 94 . In: Wiesbadener Kurier , 12 September 2017. 
2. ↑ Presto Classical: Straus, O: Die Lustigen Nibelungen (The Merry Nibelungs) , accessed on November 12, 2016.

Web links

• Literature by and about Siegfried Köhler in the catalog of the German National Library