Jürgen Flimm died today, aged 81
RIPOne of the most influential theatre and opera directors, he worked 15 years mostly in Hamburg before being swamped with offers from aroud the world.
The conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt was his constant partner and many other maestros vied for his services.
He was artistic director of the Salzburg Festival from 2007 to 2010 and Intendant of Berlin State Opera from 2013 to 2018, where he was an admirable adjunct to Daniel Barenboim.
No corner of the opera world is untouched by his passing.
The Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz paid tribute on Twitter;. “Whether theatre, opera, TV or cinema – Jürgen Flimm has renewed and shaped the stages as a director and artistic director – in Hamburg, the Ruhr area, Salzburg, Bayreuth, Berlin. His big heart, his confidence and his fine sense of humor will now be missed.’
That’s sad. He was a superb director. He jumped in ‘at the last moment’ to salvage the Sinopoli Ring in Bayreuth. A true man of the theatre, yet another intelligent stalwart of the muse who will probably not be adequately replaced.
I was lucky enough to work with him on the Met’s Fidelio, and he was a delight throughout the process. Unlikely though it might seem, he was a fan of Country music, and I’m proud to have given him his first Dixie Chicks CD, which he apparently enjoyed very much.