Conductor Anja Bihlmaier

»The fascination of Beethoven is that you have a very clear architecture. There are clear rules, but within these proportions and these forms there is room for a lot of passion, for wildness and untamed things.«

Anja Bihlmaier is one of the leading conductors of her generation and is chief conductor of the Residentie Orkest Den Haag. Characterised by her international experience, the conductor and the Dutch symphony orchestra combine passion, precision and a great willingness to take risks on stage.

Bihlmaier made her debut at the Beethovenfest Bonn in 2024. In an interview with Steven Walter, she talked about her own career, the special features of the Dutch symphony orchestra and her attempt to create something together with the audience – the attempt to make pieces really come alive.

She continues her three-year concert series at Beethovenfest in 2025, conducting the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, and in 2026 with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

bee.contemporary is the discussion podcast of Beethovenfest Bonn. Here we invite guests from the worlds of music, culture and society to talk to us about current artistic projects and contemporary discourse.