| Dr Carsten Brosda, Senator for Culture and Media: »Thanks to his intelligent programme planning, Hamburg is recognised around the world as a prime musical city.« |
| Hamburg, 22 April 2022: The supervisory board of HamburgMusik gGmbH has moved ahead of time to extend Christoph Lieben-Seutter’s contract as General and Artistic Director of the Elbphilharmonie and Laeiszhalle, which was to run until mid-2024, by five years until 2029. Lieben-Seutter has been the General and Artistic Director of the two concert halls since September 2007. He is responsible for the programme in the tradition-steeped Laeiszhalle and in the Elbphilharmonie, which he has developed into one of the leading international concert halls over the five years since it first opened. The Elbphilharmonie presents a packed classical programme of the highest standard, supplemented by genre-transcending festivals and spotlights exploring current topics. The great stars of the classical music world are regular guests here, as are exciting artists from the fields of jazz, pop and world music. With the Elbphilharmonie and Laeiszhalle welcoming 1.2 million visitors annually, Hamburg has nearly tripled its number of concertgoers since the Elbphilharmonie opened. Dr Carsten Brosda, Senator for Culture and Media: »Through his artistic direction, Christoph Lieben-Seutter has established a cultural offering that is envied around the world for its quality, diversity and abundance. Thanks to his intelligent programme planning, Hamburg is recognised around the world as a prime musical city and is now a regular destination for the world’s best artists and orchestras. Furthermore, he and his team have advanced a broad music education offering and established a network with the city’s communities, which has made the Elbphilharmonie an integral part of Hamburg as a cultural city over the five years since the venue opened. And, together with the commercial management, he has successfully guided the two concert halls through the crises of recent months. I am delighted that such an exceptional director as Christoph Lieben-Seutter will remain in Hamburg long-term.« General and Artistic Director Christoph Lieben-Seutter: »The Elbphilharmonie’s first five years were an incredible journey marked in equal measure by tremendous success and external challenges. I am thrilled that my contract has been extended until 2029 because it gives me the opportunity to further enhance the profile of the Elbphilharmonie and Laeiszhalle, and to position the two concert halls for the future. This would not be possible without our fantastic employees. For me, being able to continue to work with this committed team is the greatest pleasure.« Christoph Lieben-Seutter was born in Vienna in 1964. In 1988, he was hired by Alexander Pereira at the Wiener Konzerthaus, where he was appointed Director of Operations in 1991. In 1993, he moved to the Zürich Opera House, but returned to Vienna in 1996 as Director of the Wiener Konzerthausgesellschaft and the Wien Modern Festival. After eleven years as Director of the Wiener Konzerthaus, he moved to Hamburg in summer 2007 after being appointed General and Artistic Director with responsibility for the Laeiszhalle and the Elbphilharmonie, which would open in 2017. |
Christoph Lieben-Seutter’s contract as General and Artistic Director of the Elbphilharmonie and Laeiszhalle extended ahead of time.
