Supporting Artists
Roberto Paternostro
Viennese-born conductor Roberto Paternostro, of Venetian descent, was a student of Hans Swarowsky, György Ligeti and Christoph von Dohnányi, and later assisted the late Herbert von Karajan in Berlin.
Mr. Paternostro’s career break came in 1985 when he appeared on the podium to conduct the “Opera for Africa” gala at the Arena di Verona, and was consequently invited to conduct at pre-eminent theatres such as Barcelona, Madrid, Venice, Genoa, Verona, Tokyo, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Budapest, Vienna, Munich and Dresden.
Since 1997, Roberto Paternostro has held the post of General Music Director of the Staatstheater Kassel, where he conducted a successful new production of the complete Ring des Nibelungen, the conclusion of which took place in 1999. The label Ars Production, which has released a recording of Siegfried, has planned a CD release ofGötterdämmerung as a prelude to a recording of the entire Kassel Ring production.
An important component of the Maestro’s career has been an active television presence, and in October 1999 he made his Weimar debut conducting a gala concert entitled “Echo of the Stars”, recorded live by ZDF. The artist also conducted the Bundesjugendorchester for four TV stations with young classical stars, which was recorded by ARTE. In November 2000 and August 2001 the project was continued, and the most recent taping of the program “Stars von morgen” (Stars of Tomorrow) was broadcast on ARTE in March of this year.
Additional engagements in 1999/2000 included Paternostro’s debut with the Munich Philharmonic for the New Year’s Concert and Madame Butterfly at the Den Norske Opera in February, his first Der Rosenkavalier in April at the Staatstheater Kassel, and an invitation to the Bruckner Festival in LINZ where he conducted a concert version of Wagner’sGötterdämmerung. Other highlights included a production of Carmen and Die Fledermaus at the Wiener Volksoper, his MDR Symphony Orchestra debut at the Shanghai Festival, and his Saarländisches Rundfunksinfonieorchester debut. Mr. Paternostro made other notable debuts with the RadiOphilHarmonie des NDR Hannover, the BAMBERGER SYMPHONIKER, the RSO KÖLN and RSO STUTTGART, as well as with the Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz.
In 2001, Mr. Paternostro participated in an Open Air Gala at the Gendarmenmarkt with the Berliner SinfonieOrchester, a European tour with the Bundesjugendorchester, and Mahler’s Ninth Symphony with a final concert in Berlin with the Jeunesses Musicales Weltorchester as part of the Festival Young Euro Classics.
In 2002, Roberto Paternostro made his debut with the Wiener Symphoniker, one of the most distinguished orchestras in his hometown. In the summer of the same year he made another appearance at the Open Air Gala in Berlin conducting a Wagner program with the Robert Schumann Philharmonie. In the fall he conducted concert performances of Die Walküreand Götterdämmerung at the Wagner Festival in Neuschwanstein. He also conducted a concert subscription series of the Bruckner-Orchester and multiple premieres at the Staatstheater Kassel such as Madame Butterfly and Peter Eötvös’Drei Schwestern directed by Oscar winner István Szabó. In December he made his Israeli debut with three concerts in Tel Aviv. Highlights of 2003 included the premiere of Richard Wagner’s Tannhäuser in Kassel, the TV show “Klassisch” for ZDF with the BSO and soloists including Hilary Hahn, the Mahler Festival in Toblach with the Fourth Symphony (also recorded for CD release) and the premier of Rigoletto and Die Fledermaus in Kassel.
In March 2004, Roberto Paternostro conducted the premiere of Prokofiev’s The Love for Three Oranges in Kassel to great critical acclaim.
Engagements for the 2004 / 2005 season included a subscription series at the Konzerthaus Berlin with the BSO in May 2004, where he conducted the Brahms Piano Concerto No.1 and Sibelius Symphony No.2. In 2005 the Maestro conducted the Gustav-Mahler-Festival in Kassel, where he is also artistic director, which took place for the first time and he put on a new production of “Elektra” in Kassel. There were also concerts in Tel Aviv, Budapest and Berlin etc.
In 2006 Paternostro conducted at the Mahler Festival in Toblach (4th symphony and Totenfeier) and had his debut at the Israel Opera in Tel Aviv with new productions of Trovatore, Simone Boccanegra and Ariadne auf Naxos.
Highlights of 2007 included the “Mahlertage Kassel” (2nd symphony) and a new production of “Tristan” and “Damnation de Faust” (Berlioz) plus concerts in Athens, Toronto and Munich.
In January 2009 Conductor Roberto Paternostro has been appointed musical adviser to the Israel Chamber Orchestra.
Mr. Paternostro’s career break came in 1985 when he appeared on the podium to conduct the “Opera for Africa” gala at the Arena di Verona, and was consequently invited to conduct at pre-eminent theatres such as Barcelona, Madrid, Venice, Genoa, Verona, Tokyo, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Budapest, Vienna, Munich and Dresden.
Since 1997, Roberto Paternostro has held the post of General Music Director of the Staatstheater Kassel, where he conducted a successful new production of the complete Ring des Nibelungen, the conclusion of which took place in 1999. The label Ars Production, which has released a recording of Siegfried, has planned a CD release ofGötterdämmerung as a prelude to a recording of the entire Kassel Ring production.
An important component of the Maestro’s career has been an active television presence, and in October 1999 he made his Weimar debut conducting a gala concert entitled “Echo of the Stars”, recorded live by ZDF. The artist also conducted the Bundesjugendorchester for four TV stations with young classical stars, which was recorded by ARTE. In November 2000 and August 2001 the project was continued, and the most recent taping of the program “Stars von morgen” (Stars of Tomorrow) was broadcast on ARTE in March of this year.
Additional engagements in 1999/2000 included Paternostro’s debut with the Munich Philharmonic for the New Year’s Concert and Madame Butterfly at the Den Norske Opera in February, his first Der Rosenkavalier in April at the Staatstheater Kassel, and an invitation to the Bruckner Festival in LINZ where he conducted a concert version of Wagner’sGötterdämmerung. Other highlights included a production of Carmen and Die Fledermaus at the Wiener Volksoper, his MDR Symphony Orchestra debut at the Shanghai Festival, and his Saarländisches Rundfunksinfonieorchester debut. Mr. Paternostro made other notable debuts with the RadiOphilHarmonie des NDR Hannover, the BAMBERGER SYMPHONIKER, the RSO KÖLN and RSO STUTTGART, as well as with the Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz.
In 2001, Mr. Paternostro participated in an Open Air Gala at the Gendarmenmarkt with the Berliner SinfonieOrchester, a European tour with the Bundesjugendorchester, and Mahler’s Ninth Symphony with a final concert in Berlin with the Jeunesses Musicales Weltorchester as part of the Festival Young Euro Classics.
In 2002, Roberto Paternostro made his debut with the Wiener Symphoniker, one of the most distinguished orchestras in his hometown. In the summer of the same year he made another appearance at the Open Air Gala in Berlin conducting a Wagner program with the Robert Schumann Philharmonie. In the fall he conducted concert performances of Die Walküreand Götterdämmerung at the Wagner Festival in Neuschwanstein. He also conducted a concert subscription series of the Bruckner-Orchester and multiple premieres at the Staatstheater Kassel such as Madame Butterfly and Peter Eötvös’Drei Schwestern directed by Oscar winner István Szabó. In December he made his Israeli debut with three concerts in Tel Aviv. Highlights of 2003 included the premiere of Richard Wagner’s Tannhäuser in Kassel, the TV show “Klassisch” for ZDF with the BSO and soloists including Hilary Hahn, the Mahler Festival in Toblach with the Fourth Symphony (also recorded for CD release) and the premier of Rigoletto and Die Fledermaus in Kassel.
In March 2004, Roberto Paternostro conducted the premiere of Prokofiev’s The Love for Three Oranges in Kassel to great critical acclaim.
Engagements for the 2004 / 2005 season included a subscription series at the Konzerthaus Berlin with the BSO in May 2004, where he conducted the Brahms Piano Concerto No.1 and Sibelius Symphony No.2. In 2005 the Maestro conducted the Gustav-Mahler-Festival in Kassel, where he is also artistic director, which took place for the first time and he put on a new production of “Elektra” in Kassel. There were also concerts in Tel Aviv, Budapest and Berlin etc.
In 2006 Paternostro conducted at the Mahler Festival in Toblach (4th symphony and Totenfeier) and had his debut at the Israel Opera in Tel Aviv with new productions of Trovatore, Simone Boccanegra and Ariadne auf Naxos.
Highlights of 2007 included the “Mahlertage Kassel” (2nd symphony) and a new production of “Tristan” and “Damnation de Faust” (Berlioz) plus concerts in Athens, Toronto and Munich.
In January 2009 Conductor Roberto Paternostro has been appointed musical adviser to the Israel Chamber Orchestra.