Death of Berlin intendant

The musicologist Dieter Rexroth, artistic director of the Deutsche Symphonie-Orchesters Berlin from 1996 to 2006, has died at the age of 83.

Rexroth brought Kent Nagano to Germany for the first time as music director and remained his close ally. He was director of the Paul-Hindemith-Instituts in Frankfurt for 20 years and programme directror of the Alte Oper.

UPDATE: Tribute by Kent Nagano:

‘With Dieter Rexroth the world has lost one of its most influential visionaries, a respected academic, a scholar and a profoundly sharp philosopher who, through his bright personality, helped guide us towards a brighter future – in which we listen and respect the past at the same time. But Dieter Rexroth was much more for me personally. His ideal that quality can never be compromised repeatedly stimulated our consciences and reminded us that art must never accept the comfort of banality or status quo. A dear friend has passed away.’