Bernhard Kontarsky

Bernhard Kontarsky, born on April 26, 1937, in Iserlohn, Germany, is a German conductor and pianist. He studied at the Cologne University of Music and Dance and began his conducting career as Kapellmeister at the Stuttgart State Theatre in 1964. In 1981, he became Professor of Orchestral Conducting at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts. Kontarsky became known for his work with contemporary music, conducting several world premieres including El Rey de Harlem by Hans Werner Henze in 1982 and Die Erschöpfung der Welt by Mauricio Kagel. He was also notable for his involvement with Bernd Alois Zimmermann's opera Die Soldaten, conducting its second commercial recording released in 1991 and the French premiere in April 1994. He led the led the first German performance of Die Wände by Adriana Hölszky at the Frankfurt Opera in 2000.