Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt

The history of this German orchestra can be traced back to the year 1842, when the municipal theatre, designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, was opened. The orchestra has existed in its present form since 1971, when the "Kulturorchester" and the Kleist Theatre orchestra combined to form the Frankfurt Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestra began undergoing decisive artistic developments after Nikos Athinäos assumed direction in 1990, and in 1995 was named the official orchestra of Brandenburg (Staatsorchester Frankfurt (Oder)), receiving the concomitant subsidies which allowed it to increase in size. In 2001 the orchestra was renamed to Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt. Between 2001 and 2007 its principal conductor was Heribert Beissel and since that year this position has been occupied by Howard Griffiths.