Norbert Balatsch (German:[ˈnɔʁbɛʁtˈbala:tʃ]; 10 March 1928 – 6 May 2020) was an Austrian conductor, especially known as a choral conductor, who began as a baritone choir singer. He was the long-term choir director of both the Vienna State Opera and the Bayreuth Festival. Two of his recordings won Grammy Awards.
Life
Born in Vienna on 10 March 1928,[1][2] he was a member of the Wiener Sängerknaben boys' choir from 1938 to 1944.[3] From 1952, Balatsch was a baritone in the opera chorus of the Vienna State Opera. A year later, he also became the conductor of a Vienna men's chorus, the Wiener Männergesang-Verein.[2] At the State Opera, he eventually became the long-term choral conductor at the house, first leading the Extrachor from 1965, then as vice choral conductor in 1967, and in 1968 as Chordirektor (chorus director), a position he held until 1983.[1][4]
Balatsch rehearsed choruses for numerous recordings, two of which won Grammy Awards in the category Best Choral Performance: Mozart's Requiem in 1981[10] with Carlo Maria Giulini conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus,[11] and Bach's St Matthew Passion in 2001.[10] In 2006, he returned to the Vienna State Opera for a production of Schoenberg's Moses und Aron. He was awarded an honorary membership of the house after the last performance of that production on 19 June 2006.[1]
Balatsch died in Vienna on 6 May 2020 at age 92.[3]
Awards
Balatsch was awarded the Goldener Ehrenring (Ring of honour in gold) from Bayreuth.[12] He received the Ehrenring from the Vienna State Opera.[13] In 2008, he was awarded the great cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana).[14]
