Louis Langrée (born 11 January 1961) is a French conductor. He is the son of organist and theorist Alain Langrée.[1]
Louis Langrée | |
|---|---|
 Louis Langrée, 2017 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 11 January 1961 Mulhouse, France |
| Occupation | Conductor |
Biography
editEarly years
editLangrée studied at the Strasbourg Conservatory, but had no formal academic training in conducting.[1] He began his career as a vocal coach and assistant at the Opéra National de Lyon, from 1983 to 1986.[1] He then worked as an assistant conductor at the Aix-en-Provence Festival, and held a comparable post with the Bayreuth Festival. From 1989 to 1992, he was an assistant conductor with l'Orchestre de Paris.
UK and Europe
editIn Europe and the UK, Langrée has been music director of the Orchestre de Picardie (1993–1998), the Opéra National de Lyon (1998–2000), Glyndebourne Touring Opera (1998–2003), and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège (2001–2006). In June 2011, Langrée was named principal conductor of the Camerata Salzburg, effective September 2011, with an initial contract of 5 seasons.[2] Langrée was the most recent conductor to hold the title of principal conductor of the Camerata Salzburg, and stood down from the post in 2016. In October 2021, the French Ministry of Culture announced the appointment of Langrée as the next music director of the Théâtre national de l'Opéra-Comique, effective 1 November 2021,[3] with an initial contract of 5 years.[4]
United States
editLangrée made his first US conducting appearance in 1991 at the Spoleto Festival USA. In December 2002, he was named music director of the Mostly Mozart Festival (Lincoln Center, New York City),[5] and formally took up the post in the summer of 2003. In March 2005, his initial contract with Mostly Mozart was extended to 2008.[6] His contract with Mostly Mozart, previously through 2017,[7] was further extended, in April 2017, through 2020.[8] In July 2019, the festival announced the extension of Langrée's contract through 2023.[9] Langrée concluded his tenure as music director of the Mostly Mozart Festival in the summer of 2023,[10][11] the last music director of the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra with the orchestra under that name.[12]
Langrée first guest-conducted the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in March 2011. Based on that appearance, in April 2012, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra appointed Langrée its 13th music director, as of the 2013–2014 season, with an initial contract of 4 years. He assumed the title of music director designate with immediate effect.[13][14] In March 2015, the Cincinnati Symphony announced the extension of Langrée's contract as music director through the 2019–2020 season.[15] In February 2017, the orchestra further extended his Cincinnati contract through the 2021–2022 season.[16] In January 2020, the Cincinnati Symphony announced the newest extension of his contract, through the 2023-2024 season.[17] In June 2021, the Cincinnati Symphony announced that Langrée is to conclude his tenure as its music director at the close of the 2023-2024 season.[18]
Recordings
editLangrée has made several recordings for Virgin Classics, with the Orchestra of the Opera National de Lyon,[19] the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the Camerata Salzburg and Le Concert d'Astrée. With the Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège, he has recorded for Universal/Accord symphonies of Franck and Chausson, piano concertos of Liszt, Ravel and Schulhoff (soloist, Claire-Marie Le Guay), and for the Cypress label, works for clarinet and orchestra by Mozart, Rossini and Weber (soloist, Jean-Luc Votano). Several of his recordings have received awards, including the Victoire de la musique, MIDEM, Diapason d'Or, and Gramophone awards. Langrée was a co-recipient of the Best Musical Achievement for Opera award from the Royal Philharmonic Society for his conducting of the 2001 Glyndebourne Opera production of Fidelio. In 2007, he was a winner of the Grand Prix Antoine Livio de la Presse Musicale Internationale. With the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Langrée has recorded music commissioned for the orchestra by Zhou Tian, Thierry Escaich, and Sebastian Currier.
Personal life
editLangrée and his wife Aimée Clark-Langrée, a writer for French television, have two children. The family resides in Paris.[20] In 2006, Langrée was made a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.
References
edit- ^ a b c James R. Oestreich (1 August 2003). "A New Spin (And Hand) For 'Mozart'". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
- ^ "Louis Langrée neuer Chefdirigent der Camerata Salzburg" (Press release). Camerata Salzburg. 11 June 2011. Archived from the original on 20 August 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-09.
- ^ "Louis Langrée announced as the next Directeur du Theatre National de l'Opera Comique" (Press release). Askonas Holt. 21 October 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
- ^ Guillaume Decalf (2021-10-21). "Louis Langrée prend la direction de l'Opéra-Comique". France Musique. Retrieved 2021-10-22.
- ^ Robin Pogrebin (11 December 2002). "Mostly Mozart Appoints Music Director". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
- ^ Ben Mattison (17 March 2005). "Mostly Mozart Announces 2005 Season Plans, Extends Contract of Music Director Louis Langrée". Playbill Arts. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
- ^ Allan Kozinn (2014-07-29). "Langrée Signs On for More Mostly Mozart". New York Times. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
- ^ Michael Cooper (2017-04-19). "This Summer Brings Mostly Mozart, With a Side of Schubert". New York Times. Retrieved 2017-04-25.
- ^ Clément Buzalka (2019-07-23). "Louis Langrée prolonge son aventure new yorkaise". France Musique. Retrieved 2019-07-28.
- ^ "Conductor Jonathon Heyward Named Next Renée and Robert Belfer Music Director of Lincoln Center's Summer Orchestra" (Press release). Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 2023-06-02.
- ^ Javier C. Hernández (2023-05-31). "Lincoln Center Names Conductor for Reimagined Mostly Mozart Orchestra". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-06-02.
- ^ Oussama Zahr (2023-08-14). "A Farewell to Mostly Mozart, and to Its Music Director". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
- ^ "Louis Langrée Named Next CSO Music Director" (Press release). Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. 24 April 2012. Archived from the original on 2 May 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-28.
- ^ Janelle Gelfand (2012-04-24). "French conductor named CSO music director". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 2012-04-24.
- ^ Janelle Gelfand (2015-03-06). "CSO extends Louis Langrée's contract until 2020". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 2015-03-12.
- ^ Janelle Gelfand (2017-02-26). "Langrée to stay with CSO through 2022". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
- ^ Janelle Gelfand (2020-01-12). "Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra extends director Langrée's contract". Cincinnati Business Courier. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
- ^ "Louis Langrée to conclude his eleven-season tenure as Music Director at the end of the 2023-24 season" (PDF) (Press release). Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. 16 June 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-17.
- ^ James R. Oestreich (7 February 2003). "Fiery Romantic, Burning Alone: The Ever-Original Berlioz". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
- ^ Javier C. Hernández (2023-07-14). "Louis Langrée Wraps Up a Quietly Transformative Era of Conducting". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-07-25.