Mario Venzago

Mario Venzago is a Pianiste and Leader Suisse born in 1948 with Zurich.

Studies and career of pianist

Mario Venzano comes from a tessinoise family at the Venetian origin but with Spanish roots. His/her brother is the photographer and realizer inhabitant of Zurich Alberto Venzago. It is at the five years age that Mario starts to study the piano. It continues its musical studies (piano and direction) at the High Music school and the University in Zurich. He is the pupil of Erich Schmid predecessor of Simon Rattle to the head of the Symphony orchestra of Birmingham. At the beginning of career, he works also much as pianist then is engaged by the Radiotelevisione will svizzera di lingua italiana (RTSI). Venzago supplements its training of leader to Vienna with Hans Swarowsky and starts to direct to Lugano.

Leader

1978 (Winterthour): Venzago is devoted entirely to the direction with the head of the Winterthurer Stadtorchester until 1986.
1978 (Geneva): until 1986, he is also director of the Orchestre of the French-speaking Switzerland to the radio.
1978 (Lucerne): until in 1986, leader to the theater.
1986 (Heidelberg): until in 1989, director of music to the Stadttheater Heidelberg .
1986 (Francfort-sur-le-Main): until in 1989, chief of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie .
1991 (Graz): until in 1994, director as a chief of the opera and Philharmonic orchestra of Graz.
1997 (Basle): until in 2003, director as a chief of the Symphony orchestra of Basle.
1999 (Saint-Sebastien): until in 2002, director as a chief of the Basque National orchestra.
2000 (Baltimore): until 2003, director artistic of Baltimore Music Summer Festival (where it succeeded Pinchas Zukerman).
2002 (Indianapolis): director as a chief of the Symphony orchestra of Indianapolis. Venzago prolonged its contract (which expired in 2006) by a contract of unlimited duration in order to be able to continue the work started in Indianapolis, developed the quality of the orchestra and its recognition as well on the national plan as international.
2004 (Gothenburg): until 2007, principal chief of the Symphony orchestra of Gothenburg (where it succeeded Neeme Järvi).

Invited chief

Mario Venzago directed much famous orchestras at the time of festivals, such as the Philharmonic orchestra of Berlin to the Festival of Salzburg or Lucerne.
It also often directs as invited chief of full orchestras to Birmingham, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Munich (Philharmonic orchestra of Munich, Symphony orchestra of Bavarian Broadcasting), Leipzig (Orchestre of Gewandhaus of Leipzig), Tokyo (Symphony orchestra of the NHK), the royal National orchestra of Scotland, the Deutsches Symphony-Orchester Berlin.
Venzago has several times directed of the operas and worked on this occasion with directors like Ruth Berghaus or Peter Konwitschny.
It gave concerts with soloists known such as Martha Argerich, Bell, Roberto Carnevale, Nelson Freire, Josephowicz, Gidon Kremer, Lang Lang, Levin, Radu Lupu, Mischa Maisky, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Aurèle Nicolet, Ohlson, Mikhail Pletnev, Gil Shaham, Steuermann, Christian Tetzlaff, Maxim Vengerov, Zehtmair, Krystian Zimmermann or Frank Peter Zimmermann and it worked with international singers of fame such as Araiza, Banse, Agnes Baltsa, Ernst Haefliger, Ben Heppner, Kalisch, Naef, Edda Moser, Pop Lucia and Ziesak.
In Switzerland, it founded the Philharmonische Werkstatt , an independent symphony orchestra.
Venzago created a version for orchestra of the Noces of Igor Stravinski, while being based on the sources.
It also created its own version of Glagolská mše (a Cantate for soloist, chorus, orchestra and organ) of Leoš Janáček.
2000/01 (Milan): it directs the orchestra to the Scala.
2000/01 (London): it directs the Philharmonic orchestra of London.
2003 (Philadelphia): it directs the Orchestre of Philadelphia.
2004 (Boston): it directs the Symphony orchestra of Boston.

Price

Grand Prix of the Disc
Diaposon of gold
Price Edison

Discography

With Sinfonieorchester Basel it recorded the integral of the symphonic work of Robert Schumann (at Novalis).
the orchestral work of Luigi Nono left to Col legno.
the orchestral work of Maurice Ravel also left to Novalis (2003).
the recordings of the two operas of Othmar Schoeck Venus and Penthesiléa had a great echo.

External bonds

Official site of Mario Venzago

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