Soltesz, Stefan
Soltesz, Stefan
Soltesz, Stefan, Hungarian-born Austrian conductor; b. Nyiregyhaza, Jan. 6, 1949. He was a student of Dieter Weber, Hans Swarowsky, Reinhold Schmidt, and Friedrich Cerha at the Vienna Academy of Music. He was a conductor at the Theater an der Wien (1971–73) and the Vienna State Opera (1973–83), and also was an assist, conductor at the Salzburg Festival (1978–79; 1983). After holding the position of first conductor at the Graz Opera (1979–81), the Hamburg State Opera (1983–85), and the Deutsche Opera in Berlin (1985–88), he was Generalmusikdirektor in Braunschweig from 1988 to 1993. In 1992 he made his U.S. debut at the Washington (D.C.) Opera conducting Otello. He became music director of the Flanders Opera and principal guest conductor of the Leipzig Opera in 1992. From 1997 he was Generalmusikdirektor in Essen. As a guest conductor, he led various opera companies and orchs. in Europe.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire