Fritz Rieger to lead M.S.O.

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32486, 22 December 1970, Page 12

Fritz Rieger to lead M.S.O.

Melbourne has attracted. Fritz Rieger, top German conductor, to accept a two-year contract, beginning in 1972, as resident conductor bf the city’s symphony orchestra. The appointment was i announced recently by the Australian Broadcasting Commission. The orchestra’s principal guest conductor, Willem van Otterloo, who has just completed a successful tour of the United States and Canada, has returned to The Hague to resume his duties as conductor of The Hague Philharmonic Orchestra. Mr Rieger, aged 60, will spend about five months in Australia next year working with the orchestra before taking up his appointment. He spent two months in Australia in 1968, appearing as a guest conductor in Melbourne, Sydney and Hobart. Formerly general musical director of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Mr Rieger now limits his appearances in Munich to guest conducting.

, During the last two years he directed concerts in London, Paris, Rome, Zurich, Stuttgart, Cologne,. Naples and Lisbon. The general manager of the A.B.C. (Mr T. S. Duckmanton) said Mr Rieger was already well known to music lovers in Australia through his appearances as guest conductor.