Donald Runnicles

Career

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Donald Runnicles is the son of William Runnicles, a director of a furniture supply company and a choirmaster and organist, and Christine Runnicles. He began his education at George Heriot's School in Edinburgh, moving later to George Watson's College, which offered a specialised music education facility, followed by the University of Edinburgh and St John's College, Cambridge. He studied for a year at the London Opera Centre.

Runnicles began his operatic career as a singers' coach and assistant conductor in Mannheim, Germany. He became Generalmusikdirektor of the city of Freiburg, Germany in 1989. Referring to the 10 years he spent in Germany, Runnicles has said

: "I have to breathe this air, this Wagnerian air. It was life-changing and that love affair with Wagner led to what was influenced by him: the Bruckner, the Mahler."

Runnicles is patron of the Wagner Society of Scotland, a member of the International Association of Wagner Societies.

In the US, Runnicles served as music director and principal conductor of the San Francisco Opera from 1992 to 2009. Runnicles was principal guest conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra from September 2001 through the 2021-2022 season. From 2001 to 2007, he was principal conductor of the Orchestra of St. Luke's. Runnicles had been offered the title of music director of the Orchestra of St. Luke's, but he declined the title. He became music director of the Grand Teton Music Festival in September 2005, having been appointed that August. His Grand Teton contract was extended through 2011, and subsequently to 2019.

Runnicles first conducted the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO) in 2001. In October 2007, the BBC SSO announced the appointment of Runnicles as their next Chief Conductor in September 2009, for an initial contract of three years. The BBC SSO appointment marked Runnicles' first principal post with a British orchestra. In September 2011, the BBC SSO extended his contract as chief conductor through 2015. In October 2014, the orchestra reported the scheduled conclusion of Runnicles' tenure as chief conductor in September 2016. His final concert as the BBC SSO's chief conductor was on 28 August 2016, and he now has the title of Conductor Emeritus of the BBC SSO.

In October 2007, the Deutsche Oper Berlin announced the appointment of Runnicles as their next Generalmusikdirektor, effective August 2009, for an initial contract of five years. In December 2016, the company announced the newest extension of Runnicles' contract with the Deutsche Oper Berlin until 2022. In November 2020, the Deutsche Oper Berlin announced the most recent extension of Runnicles' contract as its GMD, through 2027. In September 2023, the Deutsche Oper Berlin announced that Runnicles is to stand down as its GMD at the close of the 2025–2026 season, one season earlier than the most recent contract extension, at Runnicles' own request.

In December 2022, Runnicles first guest-conducted the Dresden Philharmonic. In December 2023, the Dresden Philharmonic announced the appointment of Runnicles as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2025-2026 season. He served as chief conductor-designate for the 2024–2025 season.

Personal life

Runnicles has two daughters, Ashley and Tamara, from his previous marriage to South African violist Elizabeth Prior, as well as an older daughter, Alexandra, from a previous relationship. His second marriage is to the Canadian Pilates teacher Adelle Eslinger.

Honours and awards

Runnicles holds honorary doctorates from the University of Edinburgh and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (conferred in February 2011). In 2019, Runnicles was elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Runnicles was knighted in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to music.

Discography

• Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
• Bellini: I Capuleti e i Montecchi / Jennifer Larmore
• Britten: Peter Grimes / Metropolitan Opera DVD 2008
• Britten: Billy Budd / Bo Skovhus, Vienna Festival 2001.
• Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem / Elgar, Davies, Turnage
• Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice (Berlioz version) / Jennifer Larmore, Dawn Upshaw, San Francisco Opera (SFO).
• Humperdinck: Hansel und Gretel / Larmore, Ziesak.
• Korngold: Die tote Stadt / Salzburg Festival 2004.
• MacMillan: Violin Concerto and Symphony No. 4/ BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, 2016.
• Mozart: Requiem / Levin Edition.
• Mozart: Symphony No. 39 and Symphony No. 41 "Jupiter" / Orchestra of St. Luke's, 2011.
• Orff: Carmina Burana / Hong, Atlanta.
• Puccini: Turandot / Éva Marton, Michael Sylvester. SFO. (DVD, Naxos Records)
• Strauss: Capriccio / Kiri Te Kanawa, Tatiana Troyanos, Director: Peter Maniura. SFO. (DVD)
• Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, and others / NDR SO Hamburg.
• Strauss: Four Last Songs; Wagner: Liebestod / Christine Brewer.
• Wagner: Tristan und Isolde / Brewer, Treleaven, Rose.
• Wagner: Wesendonck Lieder; Strauss: Four Last Songs; Alban Berg: Seven Early Songs / Jane Eaglen, London Symphony Orchestra
• Wagner: Arias, Wesendonck Lieder / Jonas Kaufmann, DO
• Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen / 'Orchestral Scenes', Dresden Staatskapelle
• Wallace: Harvey Milk / San Francisco Opera

References

References

1. Tim Cornwell. (10 October 2009). "Interview: Donald Runnicles – Conducting electricity". The Scotsman.
2. Stephen Moss. (11 December 2002). "Remember my name". The Guardian.
3. [[BBC Radio 3]]'s [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00q90fl ''Performance on 3''], 26 January 2010
4. "The Wagner Society of Scotland".
5. [https://www.richard-wagner.org/rwvi/en/about-us/our-members/?member_filter=51&society_id=138 Members > Scotland]. [[International Association of Wagner Societies]].
6. [https://www.richard-wagner.org/rwvi/en/about-us/committee/ Presidium 2024-29]. [[International Association of Wagner Societies]].
7. [https://deutscheoperberlin.de/en_EN/home-ring ''Der Ring des Nibelungen''], 2024, [[Deutsche Oper Berlin]].
8. Ben Mattison. (16 November 2004). "San Francisco Opera Music Director Donald Runnicles Extends His Tenure". Playbill Arts.
9. Matthew Westphal. (18 September 2006). "Donald Runnicles's Contract at San Francisco Opera Will Not Be Renewed". Playbill Arts.
10. Joshua Kosman. (16 September 2006). "Runnicles won't renew contract with S.F. Opera". San Francisco Chronicle.
11. Ben Mattison. (21 September 2005). "Atlanta Symphony Extends Contracts of Spano and Runnicles". Playbill Arts.
12. Rosalind Bentley. (18 January 2012). "Runnicles extends ASO contract". Access Atlanta.
13. Taylor Grant. (2022-03-23). "Atlanta Symphony's 2022-23 Season: Stutzmann's First, Runnicles's Last". Musical American.
14. Allan Kozinn. (3 February 2002). "A Courtship of Conductor and Orchestra". The New York Times.
15. Emily Quinn. (29 August 2005). "Donald Runnicles Named Next Music Director of Grand Teton Music Festival". Playbill Arts.
16. Joshua Kosman. (2 October 2007). "Opera's Runnicles to lead BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra". San Francisco Chronicle.
17. (9 July 2014). "Maestro Runnicles Renews Grand Teton Music Festival Contract Through 2019".
18. Tim Cornwell, "Conductor back after 18 years to lead BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra". ''The Scotsman'', 2 October 2007.
19. Matthew Westphal. (1 October 2007). "Homecoming: Donald Runnicles to Succeed Ilan Volkov at BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra". Playbill Arts.
20. Kenneth Walton. (6 May 2009). "Donald Runnicles interview: The return of the prodigal son". The Scotsman.
21. (September 2011). "Donald Runnicles extends his contract with the BBC SSO". BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
22. (22 October 2014). "Donald Runnicles to become BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra's Conductor Emeritus". BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
23. Kate Molleson. (2016-08-29). "Gurrelieder review – almighty blast of Schoenberg rounds off festival". The Guardian.
24. Matthew Westphal. (31 October 2007). "In Sudden Appointment, Donald Runnicles Named Next Music Director of Deutsche Oper Berlin". Playbill Arts.
25. (7 December 2016). "Vertragsverlängerung mit Donald Runnicles". Deutsche Oper Berlin.
26. (2 November 2020). "Vertragsverlängerungen der Leitungsspitze der Deutschen Oper Berlin". Deutsche Oper Berlin.
27. (1 September 2023). "Sir Donald Runnicles verlässt die Deutsche Oper Berlin bereits 2026". Deutsche Oper Berlin.
28. (20 December 2023). "Sir Donald Runnicles soll Chefdirigent der Dresdner Philharmonie werden". Stadt Dresden.
29. Frederik Hanssen. (1 November 2007). "Die Stimme eines Herrn". Der Tagesspiegel.
30. "Conductor returns to the source". ''The Times'', 1 March 2009.
31. James Ehnes. (2017-09-27). "Violinist James Ehnes on the Majestic Sights & Musical Moments at the Grand Teton Music Festival". Strings Magazine.
32. Bell, Katie. (31 Jan 2011). "Distinguished conductor to receive honorary doctorate at The RSAMD".
33. (2019-03-15). "Dr Donald Cameron Runnicles OBE HonFRSE".
34. {{London Gazette. (10 October 2020)
35. (9 October 2020). "Birthday 2020 Diplomatic Service and Overseas List". Government of the United Kingdom.
36. (June 4, 1996). "Gluck Orphée et Eurydice Berlioz version: Larmore, Upshaw, Hagley, Runnicles". Donald Runnicles.
37. "PUCCINI, G. : Turandot (San Francisco Opera, 1994) (NTSC) - 100089". [[Naxos Records]].
38. Pasles, Chris. (December 15, 1993). "TV REVIEWS: Kiri Te Kanawa in Strauss' 'Capriccio'". [[Los Angeles Times]].