Later History
The success of the Akademie encouraged the founding of a new and permanent home. This was established in 1827 in Unter den Linden and became a major Berlin concert hall, at which many famous musicians were to give concerts, including Paganini, Schumann, and Brahms. On 11 March 1829, the 20-year old Felix Mendelssohn, who was himself a pupil of Zelter, conducted here his famous revival of Bach's St Matthew Passion, a major milestone in re-establishing its composer's reputation as a founding father of European musical traditions.
In 1832 on the death of Zelter, Mendelssohn had some hopes of succeeding him, but in the event the post went to the older, mediocre, but 'safe pair of hands' of Carl Friedrich Rungenhagen (1778- 1851). Subsequent directors of the Akademie were:
- August Eduard Grell (1851-1886)
- Martin Traugott Blumner (1827-1900)
- Georg Schumann (1900-1950)
- Carl Mathieu Lange (1950-1973)
- Hans Hilsdorf (1973-1999)
- Joshard Daus (2002-2006)
- Kai-Uwe Jirka (2006- )
After the separation between East and West Berlin, the Berliner Singakademie was founded 1963 in East Berlin. This other Berliner Singakademie is a leading oratory choir in the united Berlin today.
Read more about this topic: Berlin Singakademie
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