Günther Herbig (born 30 November 1931) is a German
conductor.
Born in
Ústà nad Labem,
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''ÄŒesko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
, Herbig studied conducting at the Franz Liszt Academy in
Weimar in 1951 (then in
East Germany
East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
) with
Hermann Abendroth. He later was a student of
Hermann Scherchen,
Arvids Jansons, and
Herbert von Karajan. After completing his studies, he became ''Kapellmeister'' at the
Deutsches Nationaltheater and Staatskapelle Weimar in 1956. He subsequently held operatic posts in
Erfurt
Erfurt () is the capital (political), capital and largest city of the Central Germany (cultural area), Central German state of Thuringia, with a population of around 216,000. It lies in the wide valley of the Gera (river), River Gera, in the so ...
and
Potsdam. From 1972 to 1977, he was chief conductor of the
Dresden Philharmonic. He was chief conductor of the
Berlin Symphony Orchestra from 1977 to 1983. After a dispute with the
SED Politburo, Herbig left the GDR and emigrated to the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
.
In North America, Herbig was music director of the
Detroit Symphony Orchestra from 1984 to 1990. He worked regularly with the
Toronto Symphony Orchestra from 1988 to 1994, initially as its artistic adviser and later as its music director.
From 2001 to 2006 he served as Chief Conductor of Radio Symphony Orchestra Saarbrücken, now
Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern. More recently Herbig has been the principal guest conductor and music adviser (2003–2006; and 2009–present) of the
Columbus Symphony Orchestra. Since 2006 he is the Main Invited Conductor of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria (OFCG) in Spain
Herbig holds the title of Conductor Laureate of the Taiwan
National Symphony Orchestra.
References
1931 births
Living people
People from Ústà nad Labem
Sudeten German people
German male conductors (music)
German expatriates in the United States
Naturalized citizens of Germany
21st-century German conductors (music)
21st-century German male musicians
Music directors of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Music directors of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Chief conductors of the Dresden Philharmonic
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