Marko Letonja, conductor
Marko Letonja studied at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, first piano, and then conducting under Professor Anton Nanut. Simultaneously he studied conducting under Professor Otmar Suitner at the Vienna Academy of Music and Theatrical Arts, from which he graduated in 1989.His notable debut with the orchestra of the Slovenian Philharmonic in 1987 was followed by performances in Slovenia and abroad. He conducted at the opera houses in Milan, Naples and Rome, and performed in Spain, Austria, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Japan, Israel and in the United States.
On the international music scene Marko Letonja co-operated with exceptional soloists like Marjana Lipovsek, Francisco Araiza, Mstislav Rostropovich, Heinrich Schiff, Alicia de Larrocha, Stephen Kovacevich, Irena Grafenauer, Elisabeth Leonskaya, Vadim Repin, Lazar Berman, David Geringas, Sarah Chang, Thomas Quasthoff, Jose Cura and others.
He was and is guest conductor at the Teatro San Carlo Naples, Teatro Nacional de Sao Carlos in Lisbon, Teatro alla Scala Milano, Teatro Bellas Artes in Mexico City.
Further highlights were concerts at the Vienna Festival with the Wiener Symhoniker (Heinrich Schiff), with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Basel Symphonic Orchestra (Krystian Zimerman) as well as a new production of “Pique Dame” at the Grand Theatre of Geneva, “Roméo et Juliette” at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma as well as “Medea” at the Teatro Sao Carlos in Lisbon.
After the great success of this opera and concert performances, the Symphony Orchestra Basel has nominated him as their Music Director and Chief Conductor.
In the meantime he most successfully conducted the new productions of “Tannhäuser”, “Traviata”, “Freischütz”, “Boris Godunov” and “Tristan und Isolde”, “Rigoletto” and “Don Giovanni” will follow.
Further highlights were concerts at the Vienna Festival with the Wiener Symhoniker (Heinrich Schiff), with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Basel Symphonic Orchestra (Krystian Zimerman) as well as a new production of “Pique Dame” at the Grand Theatre of Geneva, “Roméo et Juliette” at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma as well as “Medea” at the Teatro Sao Carlos in Lisbon.
After the great success of this opera and concert performances, the Symphony Orchestra Basel has nominated him as their Music Director and Chief Conductor.
In the meantime he most successfully conducted the new productions of “Tannhäuser”, “Traviata”, “Freischütz”, “Boris Godunov” and “Tristan und Isolde”, “Rigoletto” and “Don Giovanni” will follow.
Future projects: Besides his Basel engagements, concerts with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, Staatsorchester Stuttgart, Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, Bremen Philharmonics, a new production of Hindemith's “Sancta Susanna” at the Teatro Sao Carlos in Lisbon and at La Scala Milan as well as “Rigoletto” in Nantes and Angers.
