Conductor Michael Hofstetter
The Munich-born conductor, born in 1961, has been a very close friend of Styriarte since his highly acclaimed work as chief conductor of the Recreation Orchestra (2012 - 2016). His excellence in the historical practice of baroque and classical music as well as his inspiring enthusiasm on the podium are in demand on the world's great concert and opera stages.
About the artist
From Munich to the conductor's desks of the wide world
Engagements
Michael Hofstetter, a well-known conductor for more than 30 years has been invited to perform in many renowned Opera Houses, lead Orchestras and participate in Festivals.
To name only few, he conducted at the Bavarian State Opera, the State Opera Houses in Hamburg and Stuttgart, the Theater Basel, the Theater in Vienna, the Royal Opera Copenhagen, the Welsh National Opera, the English National Opera, the Houston Grand Opera, the Canadian Opera Company Toronto, both the International Haendel Festivals in Halle as well as in Karlsruhe, the Salzburg Festival, the Orchestre National d’Ile de France and many more.
Career
Native to Munich, his career took off at the theaters and opera houses in Passau and Wiesbaden and in addition he became a much appreciated Professor for Orchestra Conducting and Early Music at the University Mainz.
Prinzipal Conductor
In the Opera world the Theater Giessen greatly improved its reputation under the guidance of Michael Hofstetter as General Music Director and Prinzipal Conductor (1998-2000 and again from 2012-2019) and put the Ludwigsburg Castle Festivals on the world map (2005-2012). He also made his mark with the Geneva Chamber Orchestra (2000-2006) as well as the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra (2006-2013) and the Orchestra Recreation Graz and was co-founder of the Styriarte Festival Orchestra Graz (2010-2016).
Since January 2020 he is both artistic Director as well as managing Director of the International Gluck Festivals Nurenberg, since the season 2021/22 First Guest Conductor of the Tölzer Knabenchor.
Awards
The expert Magazine “Opernwelt” holds an annual questioning of critics, by whom the Maestro was nominated serveral times as “Conductor of the Year”, i.e. for his production of Hasse’s Didone Abbandonata at the Prinzregenten Theater as well as for his achievements as General Music Director at the Theater Giessen. For his accomplishments in the Operatic field he was bestowed with the Robert-Stolz-Medal and for his success with the Ludwigsburg Castle Festivals he was honored with the Horst-Stein-Prize.
Recordings
Michael Hofstetter released numerous recordings with labels such as Oehms Classic, cpo, Orfeo, Deutsche Grammophon, SONY and Virgin Records. The CD “Rossini: Arias and Overtures” was awarded the “Orphee du meilleur interprete” by the Academie du Disque Lyrique France in 2008, and the CD “Hasse reloaded” reached the “Best List” in 2012, established by the German Record Critics.
