Stefan Soltesz

Conductor (Madama Butterfly)

Stefan Soltesz was born in Hungary and received his conductor training with Hans Swarowsky in Vienna. Then followed engagements as coach and conductor of the Vienna State Opera 1973-83 and as guest conductor of the Opera of Graz 1979-81. During the Salzburg Music Festivals in 1978,1979 and 1983 he also worked as Musical Assistant to Karl Böhm, Christoph von Dohnányi and Herbert von Karajan. He was Permanent Conductor of the Hamburg State Opera 1983-85 and of the Deutsche Oper Berlin 1985-97. After five years as Music Director of the Braunschweig State Theatre 1992-97 he was appointed General/Artistic Director of the Aalto Music Theatre in Essen and Music Director of the City of Essen in 1997. He regularly guest conducts at the Vienna State Opera and other leading opera houses in various parts of the world, such as Paris, Rome, London, Buenos Aires and Washington, and in numerous cities in Europe.