Auguin Appointed Music Director of WNO & Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra

Washington National Opera (WNO) and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced that Philippe Auguin will become Music Director of Washington National Opera as well as the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. The French conductor will assume the directorship immediately, making his first appearance as Music Director in a new WNO production of Salome beginning October 7, 2010, at the Kennedy Center Opera House.

Philippe Auguin has earned an international reputation in both the operatic and symphonic fields, and has worked with leading opera houses and orchestras around the world. A protégé of the famed conductors Herbert von Karajan and Georg Solti, he made his WNO debut in November 2009 with critically acclaimed concert performances of Wagner's Götterdämmerung.

"From the moment I stepped onto the podium, I felt a special rapport with the talented musicians of the Orchestra," stated Mr. Auguin. "Considering the outstanding success of our collaboration last fall, and the exceptionally warm reception we received from Washington audiences, I am convinced that the Orchestra and I have a great future together, one that will be marked by artistic excellence and growth. I am honored and delighted to accept this directorship, my first in the United States."

Mr. Auguin continued, saying, "I am fortunate to work under the leadership of WNO General Director Plácido Domingo, to partner with his exemplary team, and to perform at the Kennedy Center, one of the world's great cultural landmarks. I look forward to becoming fully immersed in the Washington community, and pledge to serve and support Washington National Opera and the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra."

As Music Director of Washington National Opera, Maestro Auguin will oversee the Orchestra, which performs for all main-stage opera productions. Responsibilities include auditioning and selecting musicians, leading performances, and developing the artistry of the ensemble. The Music Director position is jointly held between WNO and the Kennedy Center, which share 61 professional musicians who comprise the WNO Orchestra and Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra.

WNO General Director Plácido Domingo welcomed the appointment, saying, "Philippe Auguin is an exceptional conductor and an excellent choice to lead the WNO Orchestra. He is equally attuned to the artists on stage and those in the pit, bringing excitement and dynamism that is palpable to audiences in the Opera House. Those who witnessed the stunning Götterdämmerung concerts last autumn know he is a musician of the highest caliber. We are fortunate to have secured him as our Music Director, and I am confident that he will continue the Orchestra's tradition of artistic excellence and bring to Washington audiences many exciting performances."

As Music Director of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, Mr. Auguin will be responsible for auditioning new players and building the orchestra, which accompanies the Center's ballet and musical Theater Productions. Kennedy Center President Michael M. Kaiser stated, "We are pleased to welcome Maestro Auguin and look forward to the high level of artistry he will bring to the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra."

Speaking on behalf of the musicians of the orchestras, principal horn player and Orchestra Committee
Chairman Greg Drone said, "From the very first downbeat of our first rehearsals with him last year, the Orchestra felt an instant connection to Maestro Auguin. He is an outstanding musician and strong leader on the podium. The Orchestra's musicians are thrilled to welcome him as our Music Director, and look forward to working with him and growing together as an ensemble."

About Philippe Auguin
Conductor Philippe Auguin has worked extensively in both the operatic and symphonic fields and has collaborated for many years with leading opera houses and orchestras throughout the world. Beginning in the 2010-11 season, he will serve as Music Director for Washington National Opera and the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, as well as the Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice.

Mr. Auguin has collaborated for many years with renowned opera houses such as the Metropolitan Opera New York (Lohengrin, La Bohème, Doktor Faust, Frau ohne Schatten), Vienna State Opera (Die Tote Stadt), Teatro alla Scala Milano (Don Giovanni, Nozze di Figaro, Zauberflöte, Macbeth, Un Ballo in Maschera, La Forza del Destino), Royal Opera House (La Traviata, Tosca, Madama Butterfly), Hamburg Staatsoper (Der Fliegende Holländer, Tannhäuser, Salome, Otello, Falstaff, La Bohème, Turandot), Bayerische Staatsoper (Der Rosenkavalier, Elektra), Deutsche Oper Berlin (Aida), as well as LA Opera, Opera Australia, Grand Théâtre de Genève and the opera houses of Cologne, Stuttgart and Dresden. Mr. Auguin also conducted a new production of Wagner's Ring in Nuremberg as well as touring this production to China - the first Ring ever to be performed there.

In the symphonic field, Mr. Auguin has worked with leading orchestras including the Czech Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, Orchestre National de France, Munich Philharmonic, Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Dresden Staatskapelle, Bamberg Symphony, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (London) and most recently with the Vienna Symphony, KBS Symphony Orchestra (Seoul), Beethoven Orchestra (Bonn) and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice.

Mr. Auguin has conducted at prestigious festivals including the Ravenna Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Musikfestival, Beethovenfest Bonn, Savonlinna Opera Festival, Hong Kong Festival, Musiksommer Bad Kissingen and the Sydney Olympic Festival. In 1996, he conducted the Vienna Philharmonic in a production of Fidelio for the Salzburger Festspiele and again for a concert-performance of Salome at the Zaragossa Festival in 2007.

Last season's highlights included performances with the Metropolitan Opera (Tosca), Washington National Opera (Götterdämmerung), Vienna State Opera (Die Tote Stadt), Deutsche Oper Berlin (Tannhäuser), Opéra de Marseille (Der Rosenkavalier), Opéra de Nice (Parsifal), Teatro Colon (Manon Lescaut) and re-invitations to Opera Australia (La Traviata), Gran Teatro Lirico di Palermo (Simon Boccanegra and Schreker's Die Gezeichneten), Savonlinna Festival (Tosca), Vienna Symphony and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice.

In the 2010-11 season, Mr. Auguin returns to the Vienna State Opera to conduct La Forza del Destino and Manon Lescaut. Following his debut in the 2007-08 season with Korngold's Die Tote Stadt, Mr. Auguin has been re-invited on several occasions to the Vienna State Opera, where he appears regularly as a guest conductor. Following his highly acclaimed concert performances of Götterdämmerung with Washington National Opera, he returns to conduct Salome and Madama Butterfly this coming season. He has received re-invitations to Nice Opera for Fidelio and to Opera Australia to conduct Madama Butterfly.

Born in France, Philippe Auguin studied in Vienna and Florence and was influenced by two impressive personalities: he was music assistant of Herbert von Karajan before working closely with Sir Georg Solti. He was awarded the Bundesverdienstkreuz am Bande and has been Honorary Consul of the Republic of France since June 2002. Philippe Auguin's biography is also available at www.philippeauguin.com.

About Washington National Opera
Founded in 1956, Washington National Opera is recognized as one of America's leading opera companies. Under the leadership of Plácido Domingo, WNO continues to build on its rich history by offering operas of the highest artistic quality. In addition, WNO fulfills its mission by serving as a vital resource throughout the DC metro area, bringing opera to broad and diverse constituencies through its award-winning education and community programs. To learn more about Washington National Opera, visit www.dc-opera.org.

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