The Swiss conductor will take over the direction of the orchestra from the 2023/24 season as successor to Baldur Brönnimann
Swiss conductor Titus Engel will take over as Principal Conductor of the Basel Sinfonietta from the 2023/24 season, leading the world's only large orchestra for contemporary music.
Titus Engel was elected as the next Principal Conductor of the Basel Sinfonietta in early December through a grassroots democratic vote among the orchestra's members. He will succeed Baldur Brönnimann, who has led the Basel Sinfonietta since the 2016/17 season as the orchestra's first Principal Conductor.
Titus Engel was named Conductor of the Year by Opernwelt magazine in 2020. His comprehensive view of repertoire from diverse eras allows him to understand works in their multifaceted interrelationships. He is a champion of innovative concert formats. Appreciated for his expertise in historically informed performance practice as well as for his precise conducting of complex contemporary projects, the Berlin-based, Zurich-born conductor can also regularly be heard performing key works of operatic literature.
He enjoys close collaborations with the Frankfurt Opera, the Stuttgart Opera, the Basel Theatre, the Grand Théâtre de Genève, and the Opéra de Lyon. Always willing to explore new avenues in his engagement with scenic concepts on the podium, he understands musical theatre as a field for experimentation where social utopias can flourish.
Titus Engel on his appointment: “I am very much looking forward to taking up the position of Principal Conductor from the 2023/24 season and thank the members of the Basel Sinfonietta for their trust. Together with these magnificent musicians, I want to realize projects that demonstrate how captivating and diverse the music of our time is. My aim is to develop special concerts for a broad audience while simultaneously intensifying the international reach of the Basel Sinfonietta. I am also very much looking forward to close collaboration with composers and the numerous institutions in Basel dedicated to contemporary music.”
Franziska Németi-Mosimann, President of the Basel Sinfonietta Orchestra Board: “Titus Engel as the new Principal Conductor, succeeding Baldur Brönnimann, is a stroke of luck for the orchestra. The opportunities for collaboration in past concerts have proven that the chemistry between the orchestra and Titus Engel is excellent. We are delighted to benefit from his wealth of experience in contemporary repertoire and innovative concert formats, which are, after all, part of the Basel Sinfonietta's DNA.”
