Fricke, Heinz

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Fricke, Heinz

Fricke, Heinz, German conductor; b. Halberstadt, Feb. 11, 1927. He studied in Halberstadt and with Abendroth in Weimar (1948–50). From 1950 to 1960 he was conductor at the Leipzig City Theater. In 1960–61 he was Generalmusikdirektor in Schwerin, and then held that title with the Berlin State Opera from 1961 to 1992. He also appeared as a guest conductor with many opera houses in Europe and South America. In 1992 he conducted Parsifal at the reopening of the Chemnitz Opera House. In 1993 he became music director of the Washington (D.C.) Opera.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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