Thomas Sanderling

Russian-born conductor Thomas Sanderling is closely associated with the music of Dmitry Shostakovich. He has conducted a mixture of orchestras worldwide, generally to critical acclaim, and made a number of successful recordings. He has developed an equally respected reputation in opera, particularly for performances in the most important operatic centers in Germany, Austria, and Scandinavia. Despite his identity with Shostakovich, his repertory is broad, encompassing Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Wagner, and Dvorák, as well as moderns like Karl Weigl and Americans Menotti, Barber, and Tobias Picker.
Sanderling was born in Leningrad on October 2, 1942. His father, conductor Kurt Sanderling, was forced to flee Germany in 1936. Young Thomas studied first at the Leningrad Conservatory, then at the Hochschule für Musik in East Berlin. His first important post came at 24, when he was appointed director of the Hallé Opera. Throughout his early career, he centered his activity mostly in East Berlin, often leading orchestras in Dresden and Leipzig.
In the 1970s he developed a friendship with the declining Shostakovich, who presented Sanderling with scores to his Thirteenth and Fourteenth symphonies. Sanderling later led the German premieres of those controversial works.
After serving as guest conductor at the Berlin Staatskapelle (1978-1983), he began conducting in Western European opera houses, notably at the Vienna State Opera, Deutsche Oper in Berlin, the Royal Danish Opera, and Finnish National Opera. Now he also began branching out in his orchestral activity, conducting orchestras throughout Europe and the United States.
In 1992 he was appointed music director of Japan's Osaka Symphony Orchestra. Sanderling's reputation grew as the new century approached, especially from critically successful recordings like his Mahler Sixth Symphony on the Real Sound label, and the complete symphonies of Albéric Magnard, released in 1999-2000 on BIS Records. Sanderling's success in the recording studio continued with the acclaimed Chandos issue in 2000 of works by contemporary American composer Steve Gerber, and in 2002 with a recording of the Karl Weigl Symphony No. 5 on BIS, which received a Cannes Classical Award in 2003, the conductor's second.
In 2004 Sanderling accepted the post of principal guest conductor of the Russian National Philharmonic Orchestra. He was active in several festivals honoring Shostakovich in 2006, and among his later recordings was a 2006 DG release of the rarely performed Shostakovich work The Tale of the Priest and His Servant, Balda.
Sanderling was born in Leningrad on October 2, 1942. His father, conductor Kurt Sanderling, was forced to flee Germany in 1936. Young Thomas studied first at the Leningrad Conservatory, then at the Hochschule für Musik in East Berlin. His first important post came at 24, when he was appointed director of the Hallé Opera. Throughout his early career, he centered his activity mostly in East Berlin, often leading orchestras in Dresden and Leipzig.
In the 1970s he developed a friendship with the declining Shostakovich, who presented Sanderling with scores to his Thirteenth and Fourteenth symphonies. Sanderling later led the German premieres of those controversial works.
After serving as guest conductor at the Berlin Staatskapelle (1978-1983), he began conducting in Western European opera houses, notably at the Vienna State Opera, Deutsche Oper in Berlin, the Royal Danish Opera, and Finnish National Opera. Now he also began branching out in his orchestral activity, conducting orchestras throughout Europe and the United States.
In 1992 he was appointed music director of Japan's Osaka Symphony Orchestra. Sanderling's reputation grew as the new century approached, especially from critically successful recordings like his Mahler Sixth Symphony on the Real Sound label, and the complete symphonies of Albéric Magnard, released in 1999-2000 on BIS Records. Sanderling's success in the recording studio continued with the acclaimed Chandos issue in 2000 of works by contemporary American composer Steve Gerber, and in 2002 with a recording of the Karl Weigl Symphony No. 5 on BIS, which received a Cannes Classical Award in 2003, the conductor's second.
In 2004 Sanderling accepted the post of principal guest conductor of the Russian National Philharmonic Orchestra. He was active in several festivals honoring Shostakovich in 2006, and among his later recordings was a 2006 DG release of the rarely performed Shostakovich work The Tale of the Priest and His Servant, Balda.
Performances with the RNO
March 2021
In Russia
30 Tue
Tchaikovsky Concert Hall
Moscow
Russia
Program
- Tchaikovsky
- Violin Concerto in D major, op.35
- Glazunov
- Symphony No. 6 in C minor, op. 58
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
Ivan Pochekin, Violin
January 2017
On Tour
04 Wed
Huizhou Poly Theatre
Huizhou, Guangdong
Program
- Andrew Webb-Mitchell
- Overture "Koh-i-Noor, Mountain of Light" (World Premiere)
- Tchaikovsky
- Waltz from Sleeping Beauty
- Suite from Swan Lake (arr. by Mikhail Pletnev)
- Weber
- Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in E-flat major, op.74
- Shostakovich
- Symphony No. 5 (2nd movement)
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
Tony Shen, Clarinet
On Tour
02 Mon
Dongguan Yulan Theatre
Dongguan, Guangdong
Program
- Andrew Webb-Mitchell
- Overture "Koh-i-Noor, Mountain of Light" (World Premiere)
- Tchaikovsky
- Waltz from Sleeping Beauty
- Suite from Swan Lake (arr. by Mikhail Pletnev)
- Weber
- Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in E-flat major, op.74
- Shostakovich
- Symphony No. 5 (2nd movement)
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
Tony Shen, Clarinet
On Tour
01 Sun
Zhuhai Grand Theatre
Zhuhai
Program
- Andrew Webb-Mitchell
- Overture "Koh-i-Noor, Mountain of Light" (World Premiere)
- Tchaikovsky
- Waltz from Sleeping Beauty
- Suite from Swan Lake (arr. by Mikhail Pletnev)
- Weber
- Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in E-flat major, op.74
- Shostakovich
- Symphony No. 5 (2nd movement)
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
Tony Shen, Clarinet
December 2016
On Tour
31 Sat
Zhuhai Grand Theatre
Zhuhai
Program
- Glinka
- Overture to "Ruslan and Ludmila"
- Tchaikovsky
- Peasant Girls's song from Eugene Onegin
- Waltz of the Flowers from Nutcracker
- Symphony No. 5 in E-minor, op.64
- Borodin
- Polovtsian Dances from "Prince Igor" (including Choral Dance no.17)
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
September 2011
In Russia
11 Sun
Tchaikovsky Concert Hall
Moscow
Russia
Program
- Shostakovich
- Symphony No. 13 for Bass, Bass Choir and Orchestra
- Bernstein
- Symphony No. 3 ("Kaddish")
Conductor:
Guest Artists:
Sergei Leiferkus, Baritone
Maria Bulgakova, Soprano
Moscow State Academic Chamber Choir
Samuel Pisar, Narrator
October 2003
In Russia
30 Thu
House of Music
Moscow
Russia
Program
- Wagner
- Die Meistersinger, Prelude
- Schumann
- Symphony No. 4 in D-minor, op. 120
- Mussorgsky
- Pictures from an Exhibition (arranged by Ravel)