Michael Halász

Michael Halász was born in 1938 in Cluj and began his career as principal bassoonist of the Philharmonia Hungarica before turning to conducting. He held posts at the Gärtnerplatz theatre in Munich, in Frankfurt under Christoph von Dohnányi and at the Hamburg State Opera, became general music director in Hagen in 1978 and was resident conductor of the Vienna State Opera from 1991 to 2011; his large Naxos and Marco Polo discography includes the complete Beethoven symphonies. On 13 September 2026 he shared the Sofia Philharmonic's podium with Nayden Todorov at Bulgaria Hall: Todorov conducted Sibelius's Violin Concerto with Svetlin Roussev, and Halász conducted Beethoven's Second Symphony.