Edgar Baitzel

The opera in Los Angeles is only 15 years old, but with the help of a German, it may become one of the leading American opera houses within the next few years. Edgar Baitzel became manager of artistic operations a year ago (April 2000). He is one of the opera's three new leaders. Placido Domingo took on the position of an artistic director, while Kent Nagano became the opera's first music director. At the beginning of his career, Baitzel was a stage director, assisting Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, Goetz Friedrich, and August Everding. During the 1980's, he served as chief producer at the Bavarian State Opera, and after a stint in Karlsruhe, his path led him to Bonn, where he became the opera director. One of his steady collaborators in Bonn was stage director Giancarlo del Monacco, and it was also Bonn where he began to work with Placido Domingo. The multi-talented star tenor paved Baitzel's way to Los Angeles. Georg Hirsch met Baitzel in Los Angeles to learn more about the opera's ambitious future plans.

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