Sir Donald Runnicles

Sir Donald Runnicles is the General Music Director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin and Music Director of the Grand Teton Music Festival, as well as Principal Guest Conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

In 2019 Runnicles also took up post as the Sydney Symphony Orchestra's first ever Principal Guest Conductor. He additionally holds the title of Conductor Emeritus of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, having served as Chief Conductor from 2009-2016.

In the 2021-22 season, maestro Runnicles led performances of the complete Ring Cycle, Lohengrin, Tannhäuser, Der Zwerg, Madama Butterfly, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and Britten's War Requiem at the Deutsche Oper Berlin; Elektra at the Metropolitan Opera; and concerts with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

Sir Donald enjoys close and enduring relationships with many of the most significant opera companies and symphony orchestras. His previous posts include Music Director of the San Francisco Opera (1992-2008), during which he led world premieres of John Adams's Doctor Atomic, Conrad Susa's Les Liaisons dangereuses, and the U.S. premiere of Messiaen's Saint François d'Assise; Principal Conductor of the Orchestra of St. Luke's (2001-2007); and General Music Director of the Theater Freiburg and Orchestra (1989-1993).

Mr. Runnicles' extensive discography includes complete recordings of Wagner's Tristan and Isolde, Mozart's Requiem, Orff's Carmina Burana, Britten's Billy Budd, Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi, and Aribert Reimann's L'invisible. His recording of Wagner arias with Jonas Kaufmann and the Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin won the 2013 Gramophone prize for Best Vocal Recording.

Sir Donald Runnicles was born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was appointed OBE in 2004, and was made a Knight Bachelor in 2020. He holds honorary degrees from the University of Edinburgh, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.