Awarding of honorary membership to Franz Willnauer
The International Gustav Mahler Society is fortunate to honor Franz Willnauer, a loyal member of the society and an important figure in German-speaking cultural life. As a member since 1961 (member no. 13!), he has always taken an active interest in the work and activities of our society, promoting and supporting it publicly, most recently through a generous fundraising campaign on the occasion of his 90th birthday.
In awarding him honorary membership, the IGMS wishes above all to recognize Franz Willnauer’s outstanding contributions to Mahler research. His publications shed light on Mahler’s years in Hamburg and his summers in Steinbach am Attersee, portray the female companions of the composer and conductor, and provide a comprehensive insight into Mahler’s artistic work at the Vienna Court Opera. The editions of letters edited by Willnauer provide access to important sources that shed light on both Mahler’s professional life and his private life. Willnauer continues to enrich research with his well-documented commentary on previously unknown letters and documents in the News about Mahler Research, to which he has contributed numerous articles over the years.
Publications on Gustav Mahler
- Gustav Mahler und die Wiener Oper (Wien 1979, erweiterte, aktualisierte und mit Quellenverzeichnis versehene Neuauflage 1993, überarbeitete und erweiterte Neuausgabe, 2023)
- Gustav Mahler. Die Hamburger Jahre (Hamburg 2011)
- „Auf Steinbach freue ich mich unendlich“. Gustav Mahler und der Attersee (Steinbach 2021)
- Frauen um Mahler. Die Wegbegleiterinnen des Komponisten, porträtiert nach Briefen, Tagebüchern und zeitgenössischen Dokumenten (Mainz 2022)
Editions of letters
- Gustav Mahler. „Mein lieber Trotzkopf, meine süße Mohnblume“. Briefe an Anna von Mildenburg (Wien 2006)
- Gustav Mahler. „Verehrter Herr College!“ Briefe an Komponisten, Dirigenten, Intendanten (Wien 2010)
- Gustav Mahler. Briefe an seine Verleger (Wien 2012)
- Gustav Mahler. „In Eile – wie immer!“ Neue unbekannte Briefe (Wien 2016)
- Gustav Mahler, Vom Elend eines Genies. Unbekannte Briefe, Dokumente, Erinnerungen (Wien 2026)
- Gustav Mahler, Briefwechsel mit Leopold Demuth (in preparation)
Franz Willnauer, born in Enns, Upper Austria, in 1933, graduated from the Humanistic Gymnasium Linz (high school diploma in 1952), Dr. phil. in theater studies and psychology (University of Vienna, 1957). Started his career at Universal Edition Vienna, then held management positions at the municipal theaters in Münster/Westphalia and Freiburg/Breisgau and at the Stuttgart State Opera. 1972–1985 Head of the Cultural Department at Bayer AG, 1990–1995 Managing Director of the Cultural Circle of German Business at the BDI. Artistic director (secretary general) of the Salzburg Festival (1985–1991), artistic director of the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival (1996–1998) and the International Beethoven Festival Bonn (1999–2003). In addition, professorships in cultural management at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and the University of Music and Theatre Hamburg. From 1950 to 1965, music critic for Austrian and German newspapers and magazines. Subsequently, numerous major works on various musical topics, including Gustav Mahler, Carl Orff, and Herbert von Karajan, as well as on issues of music management. Awards: Grand Decoration of Honor for Services to the Republic of Austria (1994); Schleswig-Holstein Medal (1998); Cross of Merit, 1st Class, of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2012).