Published: 06 February 2012
Category: Artists

Baldur Brönnimann returns to English National Opera to conduct the London premiere of John Adams’s opera The Death of Klinghoffer in a landmark English National Opera production during February and March. A co-production between ENO and the Metropolitan Opera, New York, the opera is directed by Tom Morris – who directed the highly acclaimed production of War Horse at London’s National Theatre – with a cast featuring Alan Opie as Mr Klinghoffer and Michaela Martens as his wife.

Well known for its controversial story-line, The Death of Klinghoffer has sparked much debate, and Brönnimann will discuss the issues in the work in a number of media appearances ahead of the production. Click here to listen to Baldur Brönnimann, John Adams and librettist Alice Goodman talking about the opera on BBC Radio 3. Click here to read The Independent's article on the forthcoming performance. Click here to see this month’s article in the Guardian about new music, which features an interview with Brönnimann.

The Death of Klinghoffer opens at the London Coliseum on 25 February for seven performances: February 28, March 1, 5, 7 and 9 at 7.30pm, and March 3 at 6.30pm. Watch the ENO's trailer for the production:

Brönnimann also took part in a discussion at the Frontlines Club about the opera. Click here to watch this panel event.

Brönnimann regularly works with ENO. He conducted the hugely successful La Fura dels Baus production of Ligeti’s “anti-opera” Le Grand Macabre in 2009, which followed his debut in 2008 conducting Olga Neuwirth’s Lost Highway at the Young Vic.

In 2010/11 Brönnimann made his debut at the Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires, with Le Grand Macabre and in 2012 he returns to conduct Schoenberg Erwartung and Szymanowski’s rarely heard Hagith. Komische Oper Berlin welcomes him for his debut in 2012/13. Looking further ahead, Brönnimann will conduct Unsuk Chin’s Alice in Wonderland at London’s Barbican Centre in 2014.

Recognised and respected at the highest level for his knowledge of contemporary scores, Brönnimann has worked closely with many of today’s foremost composers, including Saariaho, Birtwistle, Adès, Chin, Harvey, and as such is sought after across the globe. His commitment to new music and to broadening the minds of the concert-going public is always a priority for Brönnimann, whose programming skills have won him much acclaim.

In 2008 Brönnimann was appointed Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia and in 2011 he was announced as the new Artistic Director of Norway’s BIT20 Ensemble. While contemporary music and opera play a major part in his career, Brönnimann is also a regular conductor of more standard symphonic repertoire and enjoys regular relationships with orchestras across Europe and Australia.

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