Elena Schwarz
© Mathias Bothor
Total command
Conductor
Conductor in Residence, Klangforum Wien
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‘Not only does she have a superb technical command of her job but she makes her music both relaxed and rewarding, and musicians and listeners like that’
The Arts Desk
Elena Schwarz is distinguished by the precision of her musical thinking and a finely tuned ear for texture, colour and balance. Her performances combine incisive command of the score with luminosity and clarity. A committed advocate of contemporary music and Resident Conductor of Klangforum Wien, she also champions overlooked composers, winning a 2026 OPUS KLASSIK award for her recording of Elsa Barraine’s symphonies. Since her debut at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, she has developed a strong operatic profile, including productions of Saariaho’s Innocence at Dutch National Opera and Royal Danish Opera.
‘Audiences are more adventurous than we imagine. If a piece is programmed with conviction, the audience is often remarkably open to it’
