Herbert Gietzen, born in 1947 in Koblenz (Germany), went to Berlin to study musicology with Carl Dahlhaus, composition with Frank Michael Beyer and conducting with Herbert Ahlendorf.

He periodically attended the rehearsals of Herbert von Karajan in Berlin and Salzburg and took part in the International Course of Conducting in Hilversum with Franco Ferrara.

Even though he had no practical experience in conducting, he won a national competition for young conductors in Hannover. Later on he became the first Germanborn prizewinner in the International Competition of Herbert von Karajan in Berlin (Photos).

Since then, his numerous national and international credits include:

• guestappearances in the opera houses of Wuppertal, Karlsruhe, Lübeck, Hannover, Frankfurt, Nürnberg, Riga
• concerts in Hannover, Berlin, Koblenz, Essen, Toulouse, Trieste, Philadelphia (among others)
• recordings with Norddeutsche Rundfunk Hannover, Sender Freies Berlin, Rias Berlin, Westdeutsche Rundfunk, Hessische Rundfunk, RAI (Italy)
• conductor of the entire television broadcast »Anneliese Rothenberger Presents - a Gala with Young Artists«
• conductor of the final concert at the »Wittener Tage für Neue Kammermusik« including broadcast transmission to more than 30 countries worldwide
• lecturer at the International Summer-Course of »Jeunesse musicale« in Ingesund (Sweden)
• 1991-1994 Music Director of the »Burgfestspiele Dreieichenhain« near Frankfurt
• repeatedly lecturer and conductor at the »Internationale Sommerakademie in Schloß Pommersfelden«

He was asked by Gian Carlo Menotti to supervise the European premiere of his opera »Juana la Loca« and was invited by him repeatedly for guestappearances at his »Festival of Two Worlds«, both in Spoleto (Italy) and Charleston (U.S.A.).

After decades of activity as „Erster Kapellmeister“ and Substitute Music Director at the Giessen Opera he was appointed Music Director for the season 2011/12. When he retired in 2012 he was named Honorary Member of the Giessen Opera.