Founders
Lorin Maazel, Founder and Artistic Director
For over five decades, Lorin Maazel has been one of the worlds most esteemed and sought-after conductors. Maestro Maazel completed his seventh and final season as Music Director of the New York Philharmonic in 2009-10, and continues through 2011-12 as Music Director of the Palau de les Arts "Reina Sofia," in Valencia, Spain. He becomes Music Director of the Munich Philharmonic in 2012-13 and pursues a broad range of guest conducting activity with the worlds leading orchestras, enjoying particularly close associations with the Philharmonic Orchestra and the Vienna Philharmonic. Maestro Maazel is also a highly regarded composer, with a wide-ranging catalogue of works written primarily over the last 15 years. His first opera, 1984, based on Georg Orwell's literary masterpiece, had its world premiere at the Royal Opera House, Convent Garden and a sold-out revival at La Scala, Milan. A second-generation American born in Paris, Lorin Maazel began violin lessons at age five, and conducting lessons at age seven. Alongside his prodigious performing activity, Maestro Maazel has found time to work with and nurture young artists, based on his strong belief in the value of sharing his experience with the next generation(s) of musicians.
Dietlinde Turban Maazel, Founder & Co-Artistic Director
Dietlinde Turban's first stage appearance at the age of 19 as Gretchen in Goethe's Faust in the Residenz-Theatre in Munich brought her national fame. She has received great accolades for her acting. Thanks to scores of films and plays filmed for television, Ms. Turban won Germany's coveted Bambi Award by popular vote as Best Actress of the Year (1983). Her film credits include the American thriller Bloodline, Monteverdi's Orfeo, and Mussolini and I, in which she played opposite Anthony Hopkins. In 2005 Ms. Turban made her New York debut in a One-Women-Play at the Cherry Lane Theatre. Ms. Turban has recorded a number of audio books and for 7 years hosted an annual television program in Germany. She also performs dramatic readings of literart masterpieces both in the United States and in Europe. She regularly tours with recitals based on great literary writers and has appeared as the narrator with major orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic and the National Symphony. In 1986 Ms. Turban married Lorin Maazel and devoted much of her time to raising their three home-schooled children while traveling throughout the world. Ms. Turban coaches young opera singers in performance skills, song interpretation, German and French, and holds Acting Master Classes and Workshops.
