Conductor
Born in Neunburg vorm Wald in 1950 as a great-grandson of the famous master Hans Richter, who conducted several premieres (for example the opera „The Ring“ from Richard Wagner in Bayreuth, Brahms’ 2nd and 3rd Symphony, Bruckner’s 4th and 8th Symphony). Hans Richter studied at a university of music, after he graduated from grammar school and he also underwent classes with Herbert von Karajan, Kurt Masur and Sergiu Celibidache.
After he finished his studies, he became an assistant of Herbert von Karajan in Salzburg and Berlin. In 1980 he recieved an award at the International Conductor’s Competition of Hungarian television in Budapest and the Prize of Audience.
During the same year he was awarded a Prize of Support of Music of Munich.
In 1984 he became a first conductor of the Municipal Theater in Biel. At that time he was also an assistant with The New York Philharmonic Orchestra and from the year 1988 to 1991 he was working as a conductor and study leader at the opera in Zurich.
As a hosting conductor he cooperated with many renowned orchestras, for example with Bavarian Broadcasting Orchestra, Symphonic Orchestra NDR Hamburg, Bavarian Symphonists and many other well-known institutions. He was also a hosting conductor of Philharmonic Orchestra of Tokyo in Japan.
1990 HR conducted, with the ingenious Friedrich Gulda as soloist, the opening-concert of the „Wiener Festwochen“.
During tours, especially those in Germany, France and Switzerland, Hans Richter lead the Czech and Hungarian orchestras. Among others he directs as chief-conductor the Smetana Philharmonic Orchestra Prague, the West Bohemian Philharmonic Orchestra as well as the Philharmonic of North Bohemia Teplice, Philharmonic Orchestra Budapest, Hungarian Symphonic Orchestra Miskolc, Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra Pecs and Hungarian Philharmonic Orchestra in Györ.
As a musician to the core, he is not only interested in symphonic pieces, but in opera and operetta works as well as in chamber music from the pianists point of view.
Hans Richter is invited to conduct the first night of the International Production of "A night in Venice" of Johann Strauß in the Teatro Verde in Venice. Stage director will be René Kollo and the operette will be played between 18th of may until 23d of may 2007.
January 2010 Hans Richter was invited for 2 concerts in USA and Canada: Vancouver, Orpheum Theatre, Chicago, Symphony Center.
In 2011 HR started a cooperation with Opera Classica Europa and conducted 6 opera productions, 2011 Magic Flute and La Traviata, 2012 Manon (Massenet) and Rigoletto, 2013 Nabucco and Aida with outstanding singers (e.g.: John Osborn – Scala di Milano and Arena di Verona, Ernesto Grisales – Arena di Verona, Keith Ikaia-Purdy and Juri Batukov, Vienna State Opera) on wonderful, historic performance-platforms in Germany, Switzerland and France (e.g.: Kloster Eberbach, Braunfels, Buc/Versailles, Vevey). He also performed Opera Galas (Verdi, Puccini, Massenet, Mozart) and in 2012 in cooperation with the legendary tenor Claude Heater (“Karajan`s Tristan”) and Opera Classica Europa a Wagner-Gala with Juyeon Song and Eduardo Villa (Metropolitan Opera New York). In these productions he conducted his orchestra, the Smetana Philharmonic Orchestra Prague, the Johann Strauß Orchestra Frankfurt and the Orchestra of the Nationaltheatre Constanta.
2012: concerts with SFP and “Ma vlast” from B. Smetana at the Festival “Europäische Wochen Passau” (reinvitation for 2014) and the “Kultursommer” Nordhessen (reinvitation for 2014), also in Czech republic in Blatná.
2013 invitation for several symphonic concerts with compositions of Benjamin Britten (centenary in 2013!).
2014, February: invitation to Japan, production “Fledermaus” of Johann Strauß, with Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and Kanazwa Chamber Orchestra.
2014, June: HR in Chestertown/Maryland at the National Music Festival
2014, June: with SFP at the Festival “Europäische Wochen Passau” (reinvitation for 2016)
Der Dirigent Rhodri Britton wurde in Hwlffordd, Wales, geboren. Am Christ's Hospital lernte er zunächst Klavier, Geige, Orgel und Gesang. Nach den "A-Levels" gewann er das Brakenbury-Stipendium am Balliol College, Oxford, und schloss da das Studium der Literae Humaniores (Alt-Philologie, Philosophie und Geschichte) mit dem Magister ab. Später setzte er seine Studien an der Londoner Royal Academy of Music fort; hier war er der erste Stipendiat von Lloyds of London, und beim Konzert-Diplom gewann er den ersten Preis für Gesang. Danach studierte er privat bei den Sängern Iris Dell'Acqua, Enrico Fissore und Rudolf Piernay, bei den Pianisten Roger Vignoles, Paul Hamburger und David Owen Norris und bei den Dirigenten George Hurst in Canford und Ilya Musin in St. Petersburg. Die Jahre 1987 bis 1995 widmete er hauptsächlich dem Gesang, und trat an mehreren Opernhäusern in Solopartien als Baß-Bariton auf. Dazu zählten MASETTO und ANGELOTTI an der Welsh National Opera, FIGARO für die English Touring Opera, DON PIPPO in L'Oca del Cairo bei den Sommerfestspielen in Batignano, Toscana, DON BASILIO bei den Rossini-Festspielen in Bad Wildbad, NICK SHADOW in The Rake's Progress und KASPAR in Der Freischütz für das Theater Eisenach, FÜRST GREMIN in Eugen Onegin für die Scottish Opera. Seit 1995 arbeitet Rhodri Britton vorwiegend als Dirigent und Coach im Opernbereich. Er war Studienleiter an den Opernhäusern in Luzern, und Dortmund, wo er u.a. West Side Story, La Traviata, Così fan tutte und Der Nußknacker dirigierte, und leitete das Junge Ensemble des Staatstheaters Mainz. Er ist zur Zeit Dozent für Korrepetition an der Musikhochschule Mainz. Er tritt regelmäßig zusammen als Pianist mit dem Schauspieler Michael Quast in den Offenbach-Operetten Blaubart, Pariser Leben, Die Schöne Helena und Orpheus in der Unterwelt auf. Seine Konzerttätigkeit als Dirigent führte ihn bereits nach den Festspielstädten Prades, Frankreich und Montepulciano. Für Opera Classica Europa hat er die Produktionen Otello (2006 und 2009), Carmen (2007), Barbier von Sevilla (2008) und Rigoletto (2011) dirigiert.
