Titus Engel

Brief profile

The Principal Conductor of the Basel Sinfonietta is constantly on the lookout for what lies beneath the surface, a deeper layer of the score that he seeks to reveal and bring to the listener’s attention in terms of its (social) relevance. And he does so with extraordinary success! This has been extremely well received, not only by the press but, above all, by the audience. Under his baton, even contemporary, modern masterpieces and milestones – such as in Stuttgart (Saint François d’Assise by Olivier Messiaen) and Berlin (The Raft of the Medusa by Hans Werner Henze at Tempelhof Airport) – turn out to be audience favourites and box-office hits with additional performances. Just as Titus Engel seeks out contemporary relevance in older works and brings their historical roots to life in new pieces, so he succeeds in making the art form of classical music itself meaningful for the present day – including for younger generations.

Titus Engel studied musicology and philosophy in Zurich and Berlin and trained as a conductor in Dresden under Christian Kluttig, supplemented by grants from the Conductors’ Forum of the German Music Council and David Zinman’s American Academy of Conducting at Aspen, as well as assistantships with Sylvain Cambreling, Marc Albrecht and Peter Rundel. Born in Zurich, he lives with his family in Berlin.

From the 2026/27 season onwards, he will help shape the profile of the Deutsche Oper Berlin in his role as Conductor in Residence.

www.titus-engel.net (in German)
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