Charlotte Calls

This is my first post since early November when I was wrapping up six performances of Jake Heggie’s Intelligence at the Houston Grand Opera. I usually try to take a long break between an operatic production and whatever comes next, but this time was different. I finished the run of performances in Houston and then headed to Charlotte, North Carolina for performances of the Verdi Requiem.

Following a few days off, during which the weather in Charlotte was nothing short of spectacular, I rehearsed with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and the Charlotte Master Chorale for two exhilarating performances of Verdi’s masterpiece, and then finally, two and a half months after I’d left for Houston, headed back home to Germany.  Normally, I’d have soon posted something about the wonderful time I’d had here or on Instagram, but I held off, waiting to share the wonderful news about what happened next…

After a lengthy international search,  the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and its Board selected me to be the twelfth Music Director in the orchestra’s ninety one year history.

On my very first visit to Charlotte in January of this year, I felt instantly connected with the dynamic energy of the city and then profoundly inspired by the wonderful musicians of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra.  Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know the entire organisation better, and to see that its dedication to balancing artistic innovation and preservation as a means to engage with the community resonates perfectly with my own creative philosophy.  I very much look forward to discovering how this exciting new partnership will enrich the orchestra’s legacy and the cultural fabric of Charlotte.  Thanks to the CSO and its Board for the trust and confidence expressed in this appointment. I can’t wait to get started!