Founded by Prince Elector Moritz von Sachsen in 1548, it is one of the oldest orchestras in the world and steeped in tradition. Over its long history many distinguished conductors and internationally celebrated instrumentalists have left their mark on this onetime court orchestra. Previous directors include Heinrich Schütz, Johann Adolf Hasse, Carl Maria von Weber and Richard Wagner, who called the ensemble his »miraculous harp«.

The list of prominent conductors of the last 100 years includes Ernst von Schuch, Fritz Reiner, Fritz Busch, Karl Böhm, Joseph Keilberth, Rudolf Kempe, Otmar Suitner, Kurt Sanderling, Herbert Blomstedt and Giuseppe Sinopoli. The orchestra was directed by Bernard Haitink from 2002-2004 and most recently by Fabio Luisi from 2007-2010. Principal Conductor since the 2012/2013 season has been Christian Thielemann. The first and only Conductor Laureate in the history of the Staatskapelle, from 1990 until his death in April 2013, was Sir Colin Davis. Myung-Whun Chung has been Principal Guest Conductor since the 2012/2013 season.

Richard Strauss and the Staatskapelle were closely linked for more than sixty years. Nine of the composer’s operas were premiered in Dresden, including »Salome«, »Elektra« and »Der Rosenkavalier«, while Strauss’s »Alpine Symphony« was dedicated to the orchestra. Countless other famous composers have written works either dedicated to the orchestra or first performed in Dresden. In 2007 the Staatskapelle reaffirmed this tradition by introducing the annual position of »Capell-Compositeur«. Following on from Hans Werner Henze, Wolfgang Rihm and Sofia Gubaidulina, György Kurtág will hold this title for the 2015/2016 season. As »CapellVirtuos« the pianist Yefim Bronfman will take part in various concerts.

The Staatskapelle’s home is the Semperoper, where it performs around 260 operas and ballets each season. In addition the ensemble presents another 50 symphonic and chamber concerts in the opera house, as well as playing at various musical events in Dresden’s Frauenkirche. As one of the world’s most celebrated and popular symphony orchestras, the Staatskapelle regularly travels abroad to the world’s leading classical venues. From 2013 the Staatskapelle Dresden is the resident orchestra of the Salzburg Easter Festival, whose Artistic Director is none other than Christian Thielemann. The Staatskapelle also does valuable work to support the local region: Since October 2008 it has been the patron orchestra of Meetingpoint Music Messiaen (launched on January 15, 2015) in the double city of Görlitz-Zgorzelec. And in September 2010 the orchestra helped found the International Shostakovich Festival in Gohrisch (Saxon Switzerland), which is the only such annual event dedicated to the music and life of Dmitri Shostakovich.

At a ceremony in Brussels in 2007 the Staatskapelle became the first – and so far only – orchestra to be awarded the »European Prize for the Preservation of the World’s Musical Heritage«. Volkswagen’s »Die Gläserne Manufaktur« (The Transparent Factory) has been a partner of the Staatskapelle Dresden since 2008.

Pianist & Conductor: Rudolf Buchbinder

Rudolf Buchbinder is not only an eminent pianist firmly established in today’s classical music scene, but also celebrated for his exceptional versatility in music, recognized as the most important and insightful connoisseur in the world of art today.

Rudolf Buchbinder was born in 1946. At age 5, he became the youngest student to attend the Vienna Academy of Music. He staged his first open concert when he was 9 and won a special prize at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition at 20. Different from other pianists who gained fame at their prime, Rudolf Buchbinder was not so keen on advancing his career as on devoting himself to perfecting his piano finesse, making him the poster child of those great piano artists who were only bestowed recognition later in their careers.

Rudolf Buchbinder has never ceased to explore new vistas in the field of art. In addition to his distinguished track record as a pianist, he also showed extraordinary talent in conducting, launching him into the league of Christoph Eschenbach and Daniel Barenboim, those rare masters who are soloist and conductor rolled into one. The epitome of him playing the duo roles is the Beethoven and Mozart piano concertos DVD recorded by Vienna Philharmonic, making him the first musician ever in the orchestra’s history to record the complete Beethoven cycle in both capacities.

Coming next, Rudolf Buchbinder will conduct and work with, among others, Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, Orchestra Del Maggio Musicale Fiorentiono, Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and Wurttemberg Chamber Orchestra. Following the Beethoven concertos by Vienna Philharmonic in China which he conducted in 2013, he will bring to China the chamber orchestra consisting of the cream of Staatskapelle Dresden around the summer of 2016 and once again charm the Chinese audience with his conducing virtuosity.

"This is one of the very few orchestras with its own distinctive sound."

- Gramophone