Michael Schønwandt

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Michael Schønwandt (born 1953 in Copenhagen) is a Danish conductor.

Michael Schønwandt is Music Director of the Royal Orchestra and the Royal Opera in Copenhagen. He has recently led the Royal Opera into their new opera house in Copenhagen, where the company will present a new complete RING Cycle. He is one of the world’s leading exponents of the music of Carl Nielson, having recorded all the symphonies and concerti.

Michael Schønwandt has also held positions as Chief Conductor of the Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester, Principal Guest Conductor of the Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, and Principal Guest Conductor of the Théâtre National de la Monnaie in Brussels. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and was engaged as Permanent Conductor by the Royal Opera in Copenhagen in 1979 and in the following seasons conducted a wide repertoire ranging from Mozart to Penderecki.

He has since worked in many of the world’s leading opera houses, including the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Vienna State Opera, the Opéra National de Paris, the Stuttgart Opera and the Bayreuth Festival, where he conducted Die Meistersinger.

Michael Schønwandt’s concert career has taken him throughout Europe and engagements have included the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Philharmonia, London Symphony (with whom he conducted all the Beethoven piano concerti with Brendel), London Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio, Budapest Festival Orchestra, and the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande.

He has made many notable recordings, apart from his extensive Nielsen discography, and opera recordings include Salome and Poul Ruders’ The Handmaid’s Tale of which he conducted the world premiere.

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• Biography

Preceded by: Claus Peter Flor	Principal Conductors, Konzerthausorchester Berlin 1992–1998	Succeeded by: Eliahu Inbal
Preceded by: Paavo Berglund	Principal Conductors, Royal Danish Orchestra 2000–	Succeeded by: incumbent