The Dresden-born conductor moved eventually to the front row of the young generation of conductors with his sensational substitution at short notice of Valery Gergiev in the Ring of the Nibelung (Wagner) and Parsifal at the MARIINSKY THEATRE in January/March 2003. After his studies of violin, trumpet, piano and choir conducting and his studies at the Music University “Carl Maria von Weber” (orchestra conducting), as well as numerous master classes (e.g. with Leonard Bernstein, Sergiu Celibidache, Miltiades Caridis, Ilya Musin, Valery Gergiev) he was accepted for the FÖRDERPROGRAMM DIRIGENTENFORUM DES DEUTSCHEN MUSIKRATES (a promotion program for young conductors). At the beginning of his international activities he won numerous conductor contests (Wettbewerb der Europäischen Gemeinschaft “Franco Capuana” Spoleto, Italy, 1996; “Bottega” Treviso, Italy, 1994; Internationales Dirgentenforum Hamm, 1993; “Conduct for Dance” London, 1993, etc.). From 1998 to 2002 he was Austria’s youngest chief conductor at the STADTTHEATER KLAGENFURT. Since 2002 he has been Permanent Guest Conductor of the MARIINSKY THEATRE St. Petersburg (The Ring of the Nibelung, Tristan and Isolde, Falstaff, Don Carlo, Aida, La Traviata, Le nozze di Figaro, Ariadne auf Naxos, Lucia di Lammermoor etc.)
In addition, regular activities as invited conductor connect him with numerous renowned orchestras and theatres in various countries. (OPERA NATIONAL DE PARIS, SÄCHSISCHE STAATSKAPELLE DRESDEN, SEMPEROPER, DEUTSCHE OPER BERLIN, TEATRO LA FENICE in Venice, TEATRO SAN CARLO in Naples, DRESDNER PHILHARMONIE, etc.). During the season 2003/04 he started his successful cooperation with Anna Netrebko (e.a. Don Giovanni, La Traviata, Lucia di Lammermoor and various gala concerts).
He celebrated a sensational success in May 2007 at Paris National Opera House jumping in by very short notice with „Lohengrin“ (featuring Waltraud Meier and Ben Heppner).
During this season he will debut with Israel Philharmonic (April 2008 ), Orchestre de Paris (May/June 2008), RAI Torino (June 2008), Radiosymphony Madrid (May 2008), Moscow Philharmonic (March 2008), Russian National Philharmonic (November 2008), Swedish Radiosymphony (Oktober 2008). He looks also very much forward to his debut at Vienna State Opera in autumn 2010.