Conductor Gabriel Feltz has passed away.

Obituary: Gabriel Feltz, Renowned Conductor, Passes Away Unexpectedly

Gabriel Feltz, a celebrated conductor known for his interpretations of classic-romantic core repertoire and his advocacy of contemporary music, has passed away unexpectedly at the University Hospital in Essen. He was 50 years old.

Born in Berlin in 1971, Feltz received his training at the Hanns Eisler Music Academy. After early stints in Lübeck, Bremen, and Hamburg, he served as deputy to GMD Lothar Zagrosek at the Stuttgart State Opera.

From 2004 to 2013, Feltz served as chief conductor of the Stuttgart Philharmonic. His tenure there was marked by his precise beat technique, analytical eye, and keen sense for balance. In interviews, Feltz often emphasized his belief in music as a communal process.

In 2005, Feltz became the General Music Director of the Theater Altenburg Gera, a position he held until 2000. From 2017, he was leading the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra.

Last season, Feltz caused a stir by conducting the Ring cycle in Dortmund under the direction of Peter Konwitschny. His opera productions in Dortmund were internationally acclaimed, and he is also known for his ambitious performances of Mahler cycles.

Feltz engaged in composers like Rihm and Lachenmann, and colleagues appreciated him as a musician who was always curious and without pretenses. In a conversation with the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, Feltz stated that the key was not the conductor's self-presentation, but "breathing together with the orchestra."

General Intendant Daniel Karasek of the Theater Kiel, where Feltz was set to take over as General Music Director this season, expressed his sadness at the loss. "Gabriel Feltz was a conductor with unshakable passion and extraordinary musicality," he said. "He had great plans for Kiel, and it is tragic that he will not be able to realize them."

The Theater Kiel has also confirmed Feltz's death. His successor as General Music Director of the Dortmunder Philharmoniker and the city of Dortmund is Jordan de Souza.

Feltz believed that a concert was successful if it allowed for "genuine encounter between stage and audience." It is clear that he achieved this in his career, leaving behind a legacy of exceptional music-making and a deep impact on the world of classical music.