Philippe Bach

During his long tenure in Meiningen, a city of exceptional music heritage, whose economy is centred around the Opera House, Philippe Bach conducted numerous opera productions building over the years a stage repertoire list of over 60 works and collaborating with directors such as Gerd Heinz (Tristan) and Rudolf Frey (Rosenkavalier). Notable productions included Die Meistersinger von Nüremberg, Rienzi, Das Liebesverbot, Die Zauberflöte, The Rape of Lucretia, Rigoletto, Le Grand Macabre, Der Rosenkavalier, Ariadne of Naxos and Katja Kabanova. In addition to the main repertoire, Bach’s interest in new music led him to explore the operas of composers such as Henze, Maxwell Davies, and develop a special relationship with the music of Thomas Adès (Tempest, Totentanz and Powder Her Face). An advocate of music from his native Switzerland, he re-introduced the operas of Othmar Schoeck to German audiences. He also introduced a significant number of new composers and premieres to the orchestra’s concert seasons.

Philippe Bach’s passion for bringing to the public lesser-known works has led him to build an impressive list of ‘Interesting and unusual works’, which he enjoys presenting in thematic programmes built around a well-known major work or composer, both with his orchestras and in his guest conducting engagements. It is also reflected in his recordings. In 2017, he recorded works by Schoeck with Patrick Demenga and the Orchestra Della Svizzera Italiana for the RSI. Teaming up with Itamar Zorman and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, he recorded Paul Ben-Haim works for violin and orchestra which was released on BIS in 2019 and highly praised.

Philippe Bach studied French horn at the Musikhochschule Bern and the Conservatoire de Genève, as well as orchestral conducting at the Musikhochschule Zürich with Johannes Schlaefli, where he finished his studies with distinction. In 2005 he was the recipient of a fellowship from the prestigious American Academy of Conducting at the Aspen Music Festival. From 2004-2006 he was Junior Fellow in Conducting at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.