WALTER WELLER
Conductor
Biography
Walter Weller was born in Vienna and became a member of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 17. The following year he founded the Weller Quartet, which became internationally famous during its ten-year existence and made many distinguished recordings. In 1961 Walter Weller became first Konzertmeister of the Vienna Philharmonic and in 1966 made his debut as a conductor. In 1969 he signed a long-term contract with the Vienna Staatsoper, which enabled him to acquire a very extensive operatic repertoire.
From the 2007/08 season, Walter Weller has taken up the post of Music Director
to the National Orchestra of Belgium. Weller was Music Director and Principal
Conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra between January 1992 and July
1997 and is now Conductor Emeritus. Together they have made highly successful
tours to Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Mr. Weller has been bestowed the
title of Conductor Laureate to the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra and also
holds the position of Associate Director with the Orchestra of Valencia, Spain.
He was Artistic Director of the Allgemeine Musikgesellschaft Basel, General
Music Director of the Basel Theater and Chief Conductor of the Basel Symphony
Orchestra from September 1994 until July 1997, Principal Conductor of the Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra from 1980-1985 and Music Director and Artistic Director
to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic from 1977-1980.
Walter Weller is regularly invited as guest conductor by major orchestras
throughout the world and has worked with the London Symphony Orchestra,
Philharmonia Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony
Orchestra, Dresden Staatskapelle, RSO Berlin, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Orchestre de
Paris, Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala Milan, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra,
Oslo Philharmonic, WDR Köln and has a regular relationship with both RTVE
Madrid and Trondheim Symphony Orchestra. Forthcoming highlights include the
Czech Philharmonic, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande BBC National Orchestra of
Wales, Gothenburg Symphony and Warsaw Philharmonic.
Operatic engagements have included Der Fliegende Holländer at La Scala, Ariadne
auf Naxos and Der Fliegende Holländer for English National Opera, a new
production of Der Freischütz at Teatro Communale, Bologna, a new production of
Prince Igor for Berlin Staatskapelle, Fidelio and Der Rosenkavalier for Scottish
Opera, and a new production of Cosi Fan Tutte and der Rosenkavalier with Opera
de Monte Carlo.
Weller´s extensive discography includes recordings with Decca, EMI, Collins
Classics and Chandos Records with whom he recorded all the Beethoven Symphonies
(including Beethoven Symphony No.10) with the City of Birmingham Symphony
Orchestra, and Fuga Libra, with whom he recorded Bohuslav
Martinu
(Symphony Nr. 4, Le Depart), Josef Suk (“Asrael” Symphony, Return of the
dead Victorious), Strauss (Strauss-Burleske, Ein Heldenleben), Glazunow
(Symphony Nr.5, Piano-Concerto Nr.1).
On 22 December 1998 Walter Weller was awarded the great Silver Cross of Honour
for Services to the Republic Austria, which in the past has also been awarded to
Josef Krips and Herbert von Karajan. He has also been awarded the Beethoven
Society Medal, Austria, the Mozart Interpretation Award, Salzburg and in 1999 a
medal from the Cambridge Biographical Centre for Outstanding People of the 20th
Century.
For
further information on Walter Weller please contact www.walter-weller.com
Or
E mail us on artists@harrisonturner.co.uk
as
at June 2011