Music director takes baby break
NewsNuremberg’s general music director Joana Mallwitz is taking leave for the birth of her first child.
Mallwitz, 35, has a couple more concerts to conduct before the summer break. The baby is due in October and she’ll be back for Haydn’s Creation on New Year’s Day.
She is married to the German tenor Simon Bode, a former ensemble singer at Frankfurt Opera.
Does this also affect the Cosi in Salzburg? I’d hoped to see Mrs. Mallwitz conduct there.
In any case, all the best to her!
She is still listed on the website of the Salzburger Festspiele to conduct. According to https://www.br.de/nachrichten/kultur/generalmusikdirektorin-joana-mallwitz-erwartet-ihr-erstes-kind,ScTVbPj she is expected to give birth in October and taking the legal time for maternal leave (in Germany: 6 weeks before and 8 weeks after birth (in general)). Since the latest performance of Cosà fan tutte will take place on August 19th this would be before her legal time of maternal leave. However, we all know that you cannot forsee what’s going on during pregnancy. Most important is that she and her child will stay/be healthy. As you said: All the best to her and her child!
After taking the baton.
An incredible talent. She should be a superstar by now.
On another note, Joana is a magnificent conductor. I was in the audience at the Rheingau Festival, Wiesbaden, when she conducted the best Pathétique I ever heard, following a truly wonderful Mozart concerto for two pianos with Gabriela Montero and Igor Levit. It was one of the best concerts I can remember.
Simon Bode has not been an ensemble singer at Frankfurt Opera for years.