Runnicles, Donald, 1954-

Sir Donald Cameron Runnicles, OBE, HonFRSE, attended George Watson's College, Edinburgh and studied music at the Faculty of Music, University of Edinburgh.  Born into a musical family he studied piano with Colin Kingsley and sang the boy soloist's part in a 1970 University Musical Society performance of Bernstein's Chichester Psalms.  At the age of 15 he formed his own orchestra, The Caritas Ensemble.  After graduation (BMus 1976) he continued his studies in Cambridge and thence at the London Opera Centre for year.  In 1978  he joined the staff of the Nationaltheatre at Mannheim, initially as repetiteur to the ballet company but eventually as firs Kapellmeister of the opera. He spent nine years in Mannheim and spent several summers at the Festspielhaus, Bayreuth helping James Levine prepare the centenary production of 'Parsifal' and Solti prepare the 1983 'Ring cycle'.  In 1990 he was appointed General Music Director of the San Francisco Opera and in 1992 made his Bayreuth debut with 'Tannhauser'.   He combined his opera work with concert engagements in the USA and Europe and after eighteeen years in San Francisco returned to Europe as Chief conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony orchestra, a role he combined with opera work in Berlin, where he is now based.

Pianist and conductor.

Awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Music at the University of Edinburgh in 1995.

 

Instrument(s)/responsibility:
pianoforte
Nationality:
British, Scottish

Concerts by Performer

Title Date Venue Professor
Reid Chamber Concert Tuesday, November 18, 1975 Reid Concert Hall Leighton, Kenneth, 1929-1988