José Miguel Esandi

General Management

Biography

Born in Bahía Blanca, Argentina, José Miguel Esandi started out as a horn player in the National Youth Orchestra before he enrolled with the New World School of the Arts, in Miami, Florida, where he graduated with a Bachelor degree. He holds a Master’s degree with honors from the University of Music in Vienna.

Since 2019/20, José Miguel Esandi holds the position of First ‘Kapellmeister’ of the Staatskapelle Halle. He has since conducted new productions of Peter Eötvös’ Der goldene Drache, Britten’s Death in Venice, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Rigoletto, Un Ballo in Maschera, Rusalka, La traviata, Candide, the world premiere of Marc Sinan’s opera Chaosmos, as well as the new ballet Körperwelten, Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, Peer Gynt, Alice in Wonderland, Le Nozze di Figaro, Ariadne auf Naxos, Hänsel und Gretel, Der Freischütz and concert performances of Cosi fan tutte and Don Giovanni. With the Staatskapelle he has also appeared in New Year’s concerts and symphonic programmes featuring works ranging from Handel and Haydn to Mendelssohn, Schubert, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky and Viennese Operetta.

In the season 2023-24 he will conduct new productions of Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Il Barbiere di Siviglia and La bohème, revivals of Hänsel und Gretel and Alice in Wonderland as well as New Year’s and symphonic concerts.

José Miguel Esandi is a regular guest at Dorset Opera Festival in the UK, conducting Rossini’s Le Comte d’Ory, Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, Cosi fan tutte, Manon Lescaut and Die Zauberflöte.
Other engagements have led him to Los Angeles Opera, La Monnaie Brussels, Seoul Arts Center, Lotte Concert Hall, Oper Graz, Oper Leipzig, Opéra National de Lorraine, Teatro São Carlos, the National Ballet Company of Portugal conducting La Traviata, Die Zauberflöte, La rondine, Sacre du printemps, La valse, Nutcracker, Così fan tutte, La bohème, Rigoletto, Otello, Carmen, Lucia di Lammermoor, L’elisir d’amore and Manon Lescaut.

Between 1999 and 2007 he tought conducting at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and was a répétiteur of vocal repertoire. During this time he assisted renowned maestros such as Hartmut Haenchen, Carlo Rizzi and Yannick Nézet-Séguin on numerous opera productions at De Nationale Opera Amsterdam, De Vlaamse Opera, Opéra National de Paris and at the Salzburg Festival, among others.

In concert, José Miguel Esandi has conducted the Orchestre Philharmonique de Marseille, Rotterdam Philharmonic, The Hague Philharmonic ‘Residentie’, Radiosinfonieorchester Wien, Orchestre Symphonique et lyrique de Nancy, the National Philharmonic of Mexico OFUNAM, Orchestra Sinfonica Portuguesa, Graz Philharmonic Orchestra, Helsingborg Symphony, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of Teatro Argentino and the Orchestra of Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires.

ANY PUBLIC USE OF THE ABOVE TEXT IS NOT PERMITTED WITHOUT SPECIFIC AUTHORIZATION OF SOREK ARTISTS MANAGEMENT.

Press

October 2023

"The conductor José Miguel Esandi kept the orchestra and cast on a short leash for the ensembles, the overture was brisk and very brilliant [...]."

Opera, W.A.Mozart, Le Nozze die Figaro - Dorset Opera Festival

October 2022

"Musically there was so much to enjoy, not least the stylish conducting of José Miguel Esandi [...].[...] Esandi's tempos were exemplary and he drew some fine playing from the Dorset Opera Festival Orchestra."

Opera, W.A.Mozart, The Magic Flute - Dorset Opera Festival

October 2022

"José Muguel Esandi drew full-blooded playing from the Dorset Opera Festival Orchestra, and some electrifying ensemble with the singers."

Opera, G. Puccini, Manon Lescaut - Dorset Opera Festival

July 2022

"Conductor José Miguel Esandi takes over at short notice from an indisposed Jeremy Carnall, once again demonstrating his complete authority in the score before him and his vitality and conviction in executing it."

thestage.co.uk, W.A.Mozart, The Magic Flute - Dorset Opera Festival

July 2022

"The Dorset Opera Festival Orchestra is vital and alert, with conductor José Miguel Esandi energising the score while drawing out all its grand-scale emotional power."

thestage.co.uk, G. Puccini, Manon Lescaut - Dorset Opera Festival

July 2022

“Due to the indisposition of the festival’s music director, José Miguel Esandi - already slated for Manon Lescaut - took on both shows. His command of each score was total and his technique enlivening, bringing tremendous character and engagement to his task. The orchestra was on top form for both shows.”

OPERANOW.CO.UK, G.Puccini, Manon Lescaut/ W.A.Mozart, The Magic Flute - Dorset Opera Festival

January 2022

"Am Pult der Staatskapelle steht José Miguel Esandi, Erster Kapellmeister am Haus[...]. Hell tönt das Orchester, schlank, präzise, dynamisch fein ausbalanciert. [...]. Esandis Verdi findet seine Schönheit nicht beim Blick in die Zukunft. Er entwickelt „Rigoletto“ aus der Tradition, macht hörbar, was Verdi Rossini verdankt, Bellini und Donizetti. Und die Staatskapelle folgt ihm meist so sinnlich wie diszipliniert."

Leipziger Volkszeitung, G. Verdi, Rigoletto - Theater Halle

January 2022

"Dazu trägt wesentlich auch die musikalische Leitung durch den Ersten Kapellmeister der Staatskapelle Halle José Miguel Esandi bei, der durchdacht die großen musikalischen Steigerungen und Feinheiten der Partitur mit einer Staatskapelle in Bestform umsetzt."

klassik-begeistert, G. Verdi, Rigoletto - Oper Halle

October 2021

"[...] neben der vorzüglich und konzentriert, gerade auch in den kammermusikalischen Episoden, musizierenden Staatskapelle Halle unter dem sowohl einfühlsamen wie dramatisch packenden Dirigat des Argentiniers José Miguel Esandi [...]."

klassik--begeistert.de, E.Grieg, Peer Gynt - Oper Halle (Ballett Halle)

September 2021

"The conductor José Miguel Esandi kept the ever-responsive Dorset Opera Festival Orchestra up to the mark with stylish, energized playing.”

Opera Magazine, W.A. Mozart, Cosi fan tutte - Dorset Opera Festival

September 2020

"Was José Miguel Esandi aus den 17 Musikern der Staatskapelle im Graben und den fünf auf der Bühne herausholte, war zwar durchhörbar ausgedünnter Verdi, aber behauptete sich allemal gegen die eingebauten Unterbrechungen und den Jux und die Tollerei auf der Bühne."

nmz.de, G.Verdi, La Traviata - Theater Halle

September 2020

"Am Ende gibt es am Freitagabend viel Beifall in der halleschen Oper: Für die durchweg fabelhaften Solistinnen und Solisten, für die wegen der Corona-Schutzmaßnahmen reduzierte, aber beherzt und freudig musizierende Staatskapelle unter Jose Miguel Esandi [...]."

mz-web.de, G.Verdi, La Traviata - Theater Halle

January 2020

"Den Platz am Pult der Staatskapelle [...] füllt erneut José Miguel Esandi ganz vorzüglich aus. Mit viel Lust darauf, hinter jedem Baumstamm eine Wagneranspielung zu entdecken und die Sänger mit der traurig schönen Musik zu umhüllen."

nmz.de, A. Dvorak, Rusalka - Oper Halle

January 2020

"Die musikalische Leitung hatte José Miguel Esandi inne, der ein großartiges Orchester durch die emotionale Achterbahn von Dvořáks Musik führte. Rein musikalisch also schon ein Genuß."

hallespektrum.de, A.Dvorak, Rusalka - Oper Halle

September 2019

"Die Oper Halle beginnt die neue Spielzeit mit einem „Maskenball“, der [...] musikalisch begeistert.[...] nutzt der Argentinier José Miguel Esandi seine Chance. Mit einer sich beherzt und mit Verve in den Verdi werfenden Staatskapelle führt er sich als 1. Kapellmeister bravourös ein."

concerti.de, G. Verdi, Un ballo in maschera - Oper Halle

October 2017

“From the overture onwards, it was clear that the conductor José Miguel Esandi was completely at home in this repertoire; he kept a close rapport with singers and orchestra and expertly juggled the score’s humour.”

Opera Magazine, Rossini, Le Comte Ory - Dorset Opera

1480

1733

single-artists.php