| Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden | |
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Saxon State Orchestra, Dresden |
| Origin | Dresden, Germany |
| Genres | Classical |
| Occupations | Symphony orchestra |
| Years active | 1548-present |
| Associated acts | Kleine Szene Sächsische Staatsoper SemperOper Ballett Staatsopern Chorus |
| Website | www.staatskapelle-dresden.de |
| Members | |
| Chief Conductor (post currently vacant) Conductor Laureate Colin Davis Composer in Residence Johannes Maria Staud |
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| Past members | |
| Founder Maurice, Prince Elector of Saxony |
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The Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden (Saxon State Orchestra, Dresden, commonly known as the Staatskapelle Dresden) is an orchestra based in Dresden, Germany founded in 1548 by Kurfürst Moritz (Elector Moritz, or Maurice) of Saxony. It is one of the world's oldest orchestras. The precursor ensemble was Die Kurfürstlich-Sächsische und Königlich-Polnische Kapelle (The Saxony Elector and Royal Polish Chapel).
The orchestra is the musical body of the Sächsische Staatsoper (Saxon State Opera). Venue of the orchestra is the Semperoper opera house.
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The orchestra has had many eminent chief conductors. In its early years, Heinrich Schütz was associated with it, and in the nineteenth century Carl Maria von Weber and Richard Wagner were both chief conductors.
In the twentieth century, Richard Strauss became closely associated with the orchestra, as both a conductor and a composer, with several of his works being premiered by the ensemble. Karl Böhm and Hans Vonk were notable among the orchestra's chief conductors in that they served as chief conductors of both the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden and the State Opera simultaneously. Herbert Blomstedt was musical director of the Staatskapelle from 1975 to 1985.
Giuseppe Sinopoli was chief conductor from 1992 until his sudden death in 2001. In August 2002, Bernard Haitink took up the post, until his resignation in 2004 over disputes with the Staatskapelle's Intendant, Gerd Uecker, on the orchestra's choice of successor.[1] In August 2007 Fabio Luisi began his tenure as chief conductor, having been named to the post in January 2004. He shared with Böhm and Vonk the historic distinction of being chief conductor of both the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden and the Sächsische Staatsoper simultaneously. Luisi was scheduled to step down as chief conductor in 2012, as of the October 2009 announcement of Christian Thielemann as the orchestra's next chief conductor, effective with the 2012-2013 season.[2] However, Luisi resigned from the Staatskapelle chief conductorship in February 2010, with immediate effect, after reports that the Staatskapelle's management had secured a contract with the ZDF network for a scheduled televised concert on New Year's Eve, 2011, without consulting him at all in his capacity as the orchestra's GMD.[3]
In 2007, the orchestra inaugurated the post of Capell-Compositeur or composer-in-residence, each appointed composer holding the post for one concert season. The first Capell-Compositeur was Isabel Mundry. The holder of the post for the 2011–12 season is Lera Auerbach.[4]
The orchestra has named Myung-Whun Chung as its first-ever principal guest conductor, effective with the 2012-2013.[5]
In April 2007, the European Cultural Foundation awarded the orchestra a prize "zur Bewahrung des musikalischen Weltkulturerbes" (for preservation of the world's musical heritage"). In June 2011, the orchestra was announced as the new resident orchestra of the Salzburg Easter Festival, as of 2013.[5]
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