Ioan Holender was born in Timișoara. He was a student of the Politehnica University of Timișoara and was expelled in his 3rd year of study for participating at the 1956 Timișoara student protests. In 1959, Holender moved to Austria, studying singing at the Vienna Conservatory and graduating in 1962. In 1962-1966, he worked as a first baritone at the Klagenfurt Opera. In 1966, he became an artist and music manager, subsequently setting up the “Holender Agency”, which earned its fame in the artistic world and contributed to many Romanian artists’ international music careers. In 1988, he was appointed Secretary General of the Vienna State Opera and Vienna Volksoper, and on 1 April 1992, manager of both institutions. Ioan Holender was the manager of the Vienna State Opera until 31 August 2010, holding the longest mandate in the history of the institution. For seven editions, he was the President and Artistic Director of the George Enescu International Festival. He is an artistic advisor to the New York Metropolitan Opera and to the Tokyo Spring Festival, all the while holding the radio culture programme “kulTOUR mit Holender”.
Constantin Chiriac:
''Director of the Vienna State Opera, having had the longest mandate in its history, president and artistic director of the “George Enescu” Festival, artist and world-class manager, Ioan Holender is awarded a star on the Sibiu Walk of Fame for his contribution to the development of European and world opera and performing arts.''
Star offered with the support of: Raiffeisen Bank
