Baldur Brönnimann

Brönnimann has conducted significant performances of major works by composers such as Ligeti, Romitelli, Boulez, Vivier, Schnebel, Birtwistle and Zimmerman at festivals such as Lucerne, Wien Modern, Darmstadt, Mostly Mozart at Lincoln Center and the BBC Proms.  He is held in the highest regard by some of today’s most eminent living composers including Chin, Lachenmann, Saariaho and in recent seasons has conducted the Seoul Philharmonic, Oslo Philharmonic, WDR Symphony, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Barcelona Symphony, Bergen Philharmonic and Vienna Radio Symphony orchestras amongst others. In the 2022/23 season, highlights include his return to Klangforum Wien, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic for a Neuwirth focus and debuts with the SWR Stuttgart Symphony, Staatstheater Hannover, Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España,Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León and with the Tonkunstler Orchestra at the Grafenegg Festival.

In the opera house, Brönnimann has conducted Ligeti Le Grand Macabre at English National Opera, Komische Oper Berlin and Teatro Colón (Buenos Aires) in both the La Fura dels Baus and Barrie Kosky productions, John Adams Death of Klinghoffer at English National Opera, Kaija Saariaho L’amour de loin at the Bergen Festival and Norwegian Opera, and Romitelli Index of Metals with Barbara Hannigan at the Theater an der Wien. At Argentina’s Teatro Colón he has also conducted Schoenberg Erwartung, Szymanowski Hagith, and Helmut Lachenmann The Little Match Girl with the composer as narrator and Zimmermann Die Soldaten.

Brönnimann is Principal Conductor of the Basel Sinfonietta with whom he continues to conduct programmes combining contemporary and unknown works with standard repertoire in typically unexpected ways, on a constant quest to challenge classical conventions and to explore new avenues for orchestral performance. In 2020 he concluded his hugely successful six-year tenure as Principal Conductor of the Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música, where he continues to return each season. Between 2011–2015 he was Artistic Director of Norway’s leading contemporary music ensemble BIT20, and from 2008–2012 Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia in Bogotá.

Born in Switzerland, Brönnimann trained at the City of Basel Music Academy and at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester where he was subsequently appointed Visiting Tutor in Conducting, and he now lives in Madrid.

2022/23 season / 478 words. Not to be altered without permission.