Klaus Tennstedt (6th. June, 1926-11th. January, 1998) was a German conductor from Merseburg. He studied violin and piano at the Leipzig Conservatory. ...show more

Klaus Tennstedt (6th. June, 1926-11th. January, 1998) was a German conductor from Merseburg. He studied violin and piano at the Leipzig Conservatory.

He became concertmaster of the orchestra at the Halle Municipal Theatre in 1948. However, a finger injury stopped his career as a violinist and afterwards he worked as a coach to singers at the same theatre. Tennstedt then directed his talents towards conducting. In 1958 he became music director of the Dresden Opera and, in 1962, music director of the Schwerin State Orchestra and Theatre.

Klaus Tennstedt emigrated from East Germany in 1971 and obtained asylum in Sweden. He conducted in Gothenburg at the Gotenborg Theatre and in Stockholm with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. In 1972 he became general music director of the Kiel Opera in Northern Germany. From 1972 to 1982 he served as chief conductor of the North German Radio Orchestra in Hamburg. ...show less