Siegfried Matthus

Siegfried Matthus (1934–2021) was a German composer, conductor, and festival founder and manager. He is considered one of Germany's most often performed contemporary composers. Matthus was born in Mallenuppen, East Prussia. He attended secondary school in Rheinsberg, followed by studies at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin. After graduating, he continued his studies in composition with Rudolf Wagner-Régeny and Hanns Eisler, and was shortly thereafter made the youngest composer in residence in the history of the Komische Oper Berlin by Walter Felsenstein. Matthus composed more than 600 works. His oeuvre includes 14 operas, over 60 large orchestral works, numerous chamber music, ballet scenes and film music. Some of his operas, such as Judith, were premiered at the Komische Oper Berlin in East Berlin. In 1979, Responso, a four-movement symphony was played by the Dresdner Staatskapelle in front of the UN in New York City with a worldwide broadcast. He enjoyed a close working relationship with conductor Kurt Masur who presented many world premieres of his music. Masur also conducted what Matthus called "the commission of my life", a Te Deum for the reopening of the Dresden Frauenkirche after restoration, broadcast live on 11 November 2005. In 1991, he founded the chamber opera festival Kammeroper Schloss Rheinsberg and directed it until 2018.