Teodor Currentzis (GR)

About

Also known as: Θεόδωρος Κουρεντζής

Teodor Currentzis is the kind of conductor who used to stride onto the stage in skinny jeans and lace up boots, conducting from inside the orchestra rather than from the podium. That punk messiah energy has translated into a serious career: he founded the musicAeterna orchestra and choir, led the Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre, and served as chief conductor of the SWR Symphonieorchester. He has won the Russian Golden Mask award nine times, covering opera and ballet, with standout productions of Mozart, Verdi, Purcell and Prokofiev. His discography on Sony Classical includes recordings of Stravinsky, Mozart and Tchaikovsky, and his YouTube activity shows him deep in that repertoire, from the Pathétique Symphony to The Rite of Spring and French baroque works by Rameau. Since 2022 he has faced concert cancellations across Europe over his ties to Russia and his refusal to publicly condemn the invasion of Ukraine, though major venues like the Salzburg Festival and the Elbphilharmonie have continued to host him.