Friedrich, Gotz

▪ 2001

      German opera director and administrator (b. Aug. 4, 1930, Naumburg, Ger.—d. Dec. 12, 2000, Berlin, Ger.), combined creative passion, innovation, and artistic perfectionism as principal director (1972–81) at the Hamburg Staatsoper; principal producer (1977–81) at London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; and general manager and principal director (from 1981) of the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Friedrich began his career in 1953 as assistant to Walter Felsenstein at the Komische Oper in East Berlin and rose to director of production there in 1968. In 1972 he defected to West Germany. While simultaneously holding posts in Hamburg and London, Friedrich also directed operas throughout Western Europe and the U.S., including productions of Richard Wagner's Tannhäuser and Parsifal at the Bayreuth Festival and the world premiere of Luciano Berio's Un re in ascolta at the Salzburg Festival.

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