Sir Donald Runnicles will become Chief Conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic from the 2025/26 season. As Chief Conductor Designate in the 2024/25 season, Sir Donald will undertake three projects: Mahler and Haydn to open the season, Beethoven at the turn of the year and Britten's "War Requiem" on 13 February 2025, the 80th anniversary of the destruction of Dresden.
"When I came to the Dresden Philharmonic for the first time in December 2022, I was immediately captivated by the beauty and outstanding sound of the concert hall. And that continued with the orchestra: I encountered excellent musical quality, great trust and a way of playing together that I had rarely experienced before. For me, the musicians of the Dresden Philharmonic embody the ideal of a great orchestra: together we will achieve a great deal artistically. I am absolutely certain that, together with our audiences in this magnificent concert hall, we will master the tasks we have set ourselves, but also those that our times demand of a modern orchestra. Bringing music to life in the centre of the city and at the same time in the centre of the world – that's what I'm passionately committed to!”
Over the course of a career spanning 45 years, Sir Donald Runnicles has built his reputation on enduring relationships with several of the most significant opera companies and orchestras and is especially celebrated for his interpretations of Romantic and post-Romanic symphonic and opera repertoire which are core to his musical identity. He is the music director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin (since 2009) and the Grand Teton Music Festival (since 2005) and has held chief artistic leadership roles at the San Francisco Opera (1992–2008), BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (2009–2016), and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s (2001–2007). He was also Principal Guest Conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for more than two decades (2001–2023), and he is the first ever Principal Guest Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (since 2019). In February 2024, he was appointed as Chief Conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic, starting in the 2025/26 season.
Maestro Runnicles kicks off his 2024/25 season with a 70th birthday celebration concert at the Edinburgh International Festival conducting the BBC Scottish Symphony in a program of Mahler and Bruckner, after which he opens the Dresden Philharmonic’s season in his first concerts as Chief Conductor Designate, returning two more times over the course of the season. At the Deutsche Oper Berlin, he concludes his Strauss cycle in collaboration with director Tobias Kratzer with a new production of "Die Frau ohne Schatten", as well as revival performances of Zemlinsky’s "Der Zwerg", Strauss' "Arabella" and "Intermezzo", Puccini’s "La bohème", Wagner’s "Tristan und Isolde", Verdi’s "Don Carlo", and a symphony concert with the Deutsche Oper Berlin as part of Musikfest Berlin. In North America, he makes guest appearances with the Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras. He also returns twice to the Sydney Symphony.
Mr Runnicles spends his summers at the Grand Teton Music Festival (GTMF) in Jackson, Wyoming. This eight-week festival of symphonic and chamber music, with five concerts being planned and conducted by him as music director, takes place amid the breathtaking beauty of Grand Teton National Park. Summer 2024 GTMF highlights included a semi-staged "The Magic Flute", concerts with Augustin Hadelich and Yo-Yo Ma, and two Fifth Symphonies by Mahler and Vaughan Williams.
Sir Donald Runnicles tours regularly with the DOB to destinations such as the Edinburgh International Festival, the London Proms, and Royal Opera House Muscat in Oman. He has joined The Philadelphia Orchestra on tours to China, summer residencies at Bravo! Vail Music Festival in Colorado, and in subscription concerts. A regular guest conductor with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, his performance history with the orchestra dates back to 1997. Over a decade-long relationship with the Vienna State Opera, he has led new productions of Wagner's "Parsifal", Britten’s "Billy Budd" and "Peter Grimes", as well as core repertory pieces.
His extensive discography includes recordings of Wagner’s "Tristan and Isolde", Mozart’s Requiem, Orff’s "Carmina Burana", Britten’s "Billy Budd", Humperdinck’s "Hansel and Gretel", Bellini’s "I Capuleti e i Montecchi", and Aribert Reimann’s "L’Invisible". His recording of Wagner arias with Jonas Kaufmann and the Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin won the 2013 Gramophone Award for Best Vocal Recording, and his recording of Janáček’s "Jenůfa" with the Orchestra and Chorus of the Deutsche Oper Berlin was nominated for a 2016 GRAMMY Award for Best Opera Recording.
Sir Donald Runnicles was born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2004 and was made a Knight Bachelor in 2020. He holds honorary degrees from the University of Edinburgh, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.