Rolf Reuter

Rolf Reuter(7 October 1926 – 10 September 2007) was a Germanconductor.

Life

Grave of Prof. Rolf Reuter on the Inner Plauenschen Cemetery in Dresden

Reuter was born as son of the composerFritz Reuterin Leipzig. After studying music at theHochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber Dresdenhe began his career in 1951 asKapellmeisterat the theatre inEisenach.In 1956 he moved toMeiningen,from there Reuter went toOper Leipzigas generalmusic directorin 1961. From 1978 to 1980 he was chief conductor of theDeutsches Nationaltheater und Staatskapelle Weimar.From 1981 Reuter was General music director of theKomische Oper Berlin,where he remained until 1993. His numerous guest performances andmaster classeshave taken him around the world, including Paris, London, Tokyo, Beijing, Houston and Buenos Aires, as well as Israel, Italy, France, Spain, the former Soviet Union, Bulgaria, etc.

His conducting, partly in collaboration withHarry Kupfer,for example the Mozart cycle, Wagner'sDie Meistersinger von Nürnberg,Boris Godunov,and the world premiere of Siegfried Matthus' operaJudith,significantly shaped the artistic profile of the Komische Oper Berlin. Among the most important artists with whom he performed areDavid Oistrach,Jessye Norman,David Geringas,Alfredo Kraus,Anna Tomowa-Sintow,Christa Ludwig,Peter Seiffert,Kiri Te Kanawa,Theo Adamand many more.

Since 1966 Reuter had also been director of conducting at theUniversity of Music and Theatre Leipzigin addition to his conducting activities. He was president of theHans PfitznerSociety and honorary professor at theHochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler"in Berlin. World-famous conductors emerged from his teaching, for exampleVladimir Jurowski,Walter Taieb,ThomaskantorGeorg Christoph Biller,Claus Peter Floras well asShi-Yeon Sung.

Reuter died in Berlin at age 80. His grave is located at theInnerer Plauenscher Friedhofin Dresden. The violistSophia Reuteris his daughter.

Honours and Critic

Reuter was an honorary member of the Komische Oper Berlin and the Leipziger Opera. In 2000 he was awarded theBundesverdienstkreuz.He was awarded the National Prize and the Patriotic Order of Merit of the GDR as well as the Franz Liszt Prize of the Republic of Hungary.

Shortly before his death the conductor got into public criticism, because he opened on 13 May 2006 together withLisbeth Grolitscha "Singleiterkurs" of theFreundeskreis Ulrich von Huttenand held on this occasion two lectures with the titlesDas deutsche Volkslied als Mutterboden der Hochkultur(The German folk song as the breeding ground of high culture) andAnton Bruckner und die deutsche Volksseele(Anton Bruckner and the German People's Soul) in front of the neo-fascist organization.

Reuter did not deny having given these lectures, nor the personal contact to this organization. In response to strong public pressure and numerous reports in the German press, he expressly dissociated himself from the ideas of these and all other right-wing and left-wing radical organizations.TheBundespräsidialamtdid not grant a demand by the member of theAbgeordnetenhaus of Berlin,the SPD politician Tom Schreiber, to deprive the conductor of the Federal Cross of Merit awarded in 2000.

Prominent pupils, such asVladimir Jurowskiin the Leipziger Volkszeitung, stressed that his teaching had taken place in a humanist spirit. Reuters last students atHochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler"Berlin joined a public statement that his teaching was cosmopolitan, tolerant and humane. Many of his colleagues, friends and confidants from politics and culture stood up for him in the press and intervened at the Office of the Federal President against Tom Schreiber's request to withdraw the Federal Cross of Merit.

Recordings

• Handel:L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato.Oratorium HWV 5 by Berlin Classics Edel Records
• Beethoven:Musik zu Goethes Trauerspiel Egmont,Op. 84, byEterna(820 737, MONO), with theLeipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra
• H. Pfitzner:Das Herz(opera) by Marco Polo
• H. Pfitzner:Das dunkle Reich – Der Blumen Rache
• H. Berlioz:Symphonie fantastique
• H. Berlioz:Lelio oder Die Rückkehr ins Leben,Op. 14b by Berlin Classics Edel Records
• S. Matthus:Judith(opera) by Berlin Classics Edel Records
• Klassik in Weimar (Festliche Weihnachtskonzerte).Works by Corelli, Telemann, Tartini among others.
• Klassik in Weimar (Serenade im Park).Works by W. A. Mozart

External links

• Werke von und über Rolf Reuterin theGerman National Librarycatalogue
• Gedenkseite für Reuter
• Rolf Reuterdiscography atDiscogs