Anhaltische Philharmonie Dessau

One of the oldest and most historic ensembles in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, the Dessau-based orchestra celebrated its 250th anniversary in the 2016/17 season. In 1766, the violinist and composer Friedrich Wilhelm Rust began assembling a court orchestra. After the permanent establishment of a theater company in Dessau in 1794, the musicians became an indispensable pillar for music theater performances of all genres, from 1798 onward in the court theater built by Erdmannsdorff. Distinguished Kapellmeisters in the nineteenth century were Friedrich Schneider, Eduard Thiele, and August Klughardt, the latter two laying the foundation for the Dessau Wagner tradition.

In 1876, thirteen musicians from Dessau participated in the orchestra of the first Bayreuth Festival. In the first half of the twentieth century, chief conductors such as Franz Mikorey, Hans Knappertsbusch, Franz von Hoesslin, Artur Rother, and Helmut Seidelmann left their mark on the orchestra. The latter stood on the podium when the new theater building was opened in 1938 with Der Freischütz and reopened in 1949 with Die Zauberflöte, after its destruction during the war and reconstruction.

Under the conductor Heinz Röttger (General Music Director from 1954 to 1977), the Wagner Festwochen developed into a festival of outstanding artistic caliber. His successors continued the tradition of Wagner-Verdi-Strauss-Slavic composers while making their own contributions.

The orchestra, known as the Anhaltische Philharmonie Dessau since 1992, has given guest performances outside Dessau (including at Classic Open Air on the Berlin Gendarmenmarkt, concerts at the Konzerthaus Berlin, a tour with the tenor José Cura, and a Japan tour with the Anhaltisches Theater Dessau performing Salome and Der fliegende Holländer) and made radio recordings and CD productions, testifying to its national and international reputation. Succeeding Golo Berg and Antony Hermus, Markus L. Frank took on the position of Chief Conductor of the Anhaltische Philharmonie in August 2016. In March 2023, the orchestra received the Best Concert Program of the 2022/23 Season award from the German Music Publishers‘ Association (DMV).

Picture: Claudia Heysel