Ioan Holender

Ioan Holender, 2011.

Ioan Holender (born Johann Hollaender^{[citation needed]}, Hebrew: יואן הולנדר‎, born 18 July 1935) is a Romanian born Austrian opera administrator.

Holender was born in Timişoara, Romania. His family is of Jewish ancestry, and growing up, he spoke 3 languages. His father owned a factory in Timişoara, which was expropriated in 1948. Holender studied mechanical engineering at the Polytechnic University of Timişoara. He worked as a tennis coach and a director's assistant until he and his family emigrated to Austria, where his mother was residing. He intended to continue his engineering studies, but became interested in singing. After completing his music studies, he was an operatic baritone and concert singer with the Klagenfurt Stadttheater.

In 1966, he began to work at the Starka theatrical agency, which he eventually took over and whose prestige he increased.

In 1988, Eberhard Waechter named Holender as Secretary-General of the Vienna State Opera, effective as of 1991. There was controversy as this appointment, because of perceived conflicts of interest between this post and his prior association with his theatrical agency. Eventually, Holender dissociated himself from the Starka business. After Waechter's death in February 1992, Holender became Director of the Vienna State Opera on 1 April 1992. He also led the Vienna Volksoper for 4 years simultaneously. Holender's contract was extended three times and concluded on 31 August 2010. He is the longest-serving general director in the history of the Vienna State Opera.

Ioan Holender is Member of the Board of the European Academy of Music Theatre.

Holender and his wife have 2 sons and a daughter.

Bibliography

• Holender, Ioan; Arnbom, Marie-Therese (2001). Der Lebensweg des Wiener Staatsoperndirektors. Wien: Böhlau Verlag. ISBN 3205993845. 

References

• "Ioan Holender, Director of Vienna State Opera". Romania on Line. http://romania-on-line.net/whoswho/HolenderIoan.htm. Retrieved 2007-08-25. 
• "Künstlerische Leitung Ioan Holender". Vienna State Opera. http://www.staatsoper.at/Content.Node2/home/haus/176_1.php. Retrieved 2007-08-25. 

External links

• Ioan Holender in the Aeiou Encyclopedia (German)
• European Academy of Music Theatre