We’re looking forward to welcoming Alexander Soddy to the BSO for his UK symphonic debut. Originally from the UK, Alexander has spent most of his career working abroad; here are a few facts about the rising conductor.
- Alexander was born in Oxford and was a chorister at Magdalen College. After studying piano, conducting and singing at the Junior Royal Academy of Music, Alexander later went on to Cambridge University to study musicology and analysis. Upon graduating in 2004, he worked as répétiteur at the National Opera Studio in London, and in 2005 was appointed répétiteur at the Hamburg State Opera.
Magdalen College, Oxford
- From 2010 to 2012 Alexander was engaged as Kapellmeister at the Hamburg State Opera, where he had debuted in the 2008/09 season with Mozart’s Magic Flute. He went on to conduct La Bohème, Rigoletto, Don Giovanni, La Traviata, Lucia di Lammermoor, Faust and Carmen while in this role.
- Over his career he has conducted over 50 operas, including the most important works from composers such as Wagner, Verdi, R. Strauss, Mozart, and Puccini in such renowned opera houses at the Vienna State Opera and New York’s Metropolitan Opera.
- Alexander has been General Music Director of the Mannheim National Theatre since the 2016/17 season. The Mannheim National Theatre was founded in 1779 and is one of the oldest theatres in Germany. Specialising in opera, in 2015 it was named ‘Opera House of the Year’ by the German opera magazine Opernwelt.
National Theatre Mannheim
- In 2018 Alexander made his debut with the English National Opera with A Midsummer’s Night Dream, gaining this praise from The Guardian, ‘Britten’s atmospheric score, with its contrasting textures for the three worlds, is beautifully played under the Germany-based English conductor Alexander Soddy, a notable ENO debut.’
Alexander Soddy conducts our Sublime Beauty concert on the 28 April as part of our Spring Season.