DAWID RUNTZ conductor

Chief Conductor at the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra since January 2021 and Principal Conductor at the Polish Royal Opera since 2017, Dawid Runtz is increasingly recognized internationally for his impeccable, elegant technique, thorough command of complex scores, extraordinary sensitivity, effective communication, and uniquely evocative performances. Dawid Runtz renew his contract as the chief conductor of the Zagreb Philharmonic for another three years, until June 2027.

His work with the ZPO so far has featured critically acclaimed performances of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, describing him as „born to conduct” (Jutarnij list). In 2019, he toured Kuwait with the Orchestra, and in January 2020, conducted the concert celebrating the official assumption of the presidency of the Council of European Union by Croatia at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, which ultimately determined his current tenure with the ensemble. In 2021 Dawid Runtz led Zagreb Philharmonic during George Enescu Festival in Bucharest, receiving positive reviews.

Polish conductor made his conducting debut in 2016 with the Orchestra of the Warsaw Philharmonic. He has been in high demand as a guest conductor with majority of Poland’s finest orchestras since, and has established a reputation as one of the most charismatic conductors to emerge in this part of Europe in recent years. Future highlights as guest conductor feature invitations from Sinfonieorchester Liechtenstein, Staatskapelle Weimar, Kraków Philharmonic, National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice, RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra, and others.

Most notable among Dawid’s guest conducting projects to date include a successful Japanese debut with the Pacific Festival Orchestra in Sapporo, conducting Strauss’s Don Juan at the closing concert, a tour of Lithuania with the Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Poland regaining independence, the opening concert of the Krzysztof Penderecki Festival with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra on the occasion of the composer’s 85th birthday, and a concert with the same orchestra at the 10. La Folle Journée festival. Dawid has led the Polish Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra at the 25th Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival in Warsaw. In 2024 conducted Sinfonieorchester Liechtenstein during ceremonial concert in Strasbourg, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the European Council.

His current tenure at the Polish Royal Opera sees Dawid leading two new productions per season and appearing regularly in the Opera’s symphonic concert series. His repertoire includes works by G. Rossini: Il Barbiere di Siviglia, L’Italiana in Algieri, La Cenerentola, W. A. Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Die Zauberflöte, Così fan tutte, La finta giardiniera and S. Moniuszko: The Hounted Manor, Halka. Next year Dawid Runtz will prepare premiere of Mozart’s „Idomeneo” in Polish Royal Opera.
 

Past achievements that have built up Dawid’s distinctive conducting craft include participation in the 2. edition of the Riccardo Muti Italian Opera Academy (2016). He also took part in the prestigious masterclass with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam led by Daniele Gatti. In 2018, Dawid won the 3rd Prize and the Audience Prize at the 1st International Hong Kong Conducting Competition, conducting Brahms Symphony No 3 in F major in the finals. Later that year, he worked with the Boston
Symphony Orchestra as part of their Assistant Conductor auditions. While in America, he attended the renown Tanglewood Conducting Seminar led by Maestro Stefan Asbury.

The Polish conductor has also received numerous domestic conducting awards and scholarships. In 2022 Dawid Runtz received Croatian Prize „Orlando” for artistic achievements, awarded by Croatian Radio and Television HRT and the Ministry of Culture. In 2024 he was nominated for the Polish national „Jan Kiepura Theatre Music Awards" in the category „the best conductor”. From the 2023/24 season, Dawid together with Zagreb Philharmonic records two albums a year for the NAXOS label as part of the new project "Croatian Music”.