Israeli Opera Concertmaster Celebrates Final Pit Performance

Violinist Eckart Lorentzen will be stepping down as concertmaster in June 2025 after almost 30 years

The German violinist Eckart Lorentzen has now given his last pit performance in a production of Puccini’s La Boheme with conductor Carlo Montanaro and the Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon LeZion (ISO), a resident ensemble of the Israeli Opera.

Lorentzen first joined the ISO and Israeli Opera as concertmaster in 1997. Previously, he was the concertmaster of the Italian Radio Orchestra, the Arturo Toscanini Orchestra, and the German Youth Orchestra. 

He went on to win numerous international competitions, and from 1984 to 1987, won a role playing with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under conductor Herbert von Karajan. 

Among his collaborators are Asher Fisch, Umberto Michelangeli, Noam Sheriff, Daniel Oren, Frans Bruggen, Luciano Berio, David Stern, Ivry Gitlis, and more. 

Lorentzen will continue playing as a soloist with the ISO until June 2025, when he will conclude his role as principal violinist. He plays on a 1720 Guarneri del Gesu violin — lent to him by Yehuda Zisapel.

“A moving moment for all of us: this week the orchestra’s principal violinist, Eckert Lorentzen, played his last pit performance during the performance of the opera ‘La Boheme’ at the Israeli opera,” the opera company posted on Facebook. “Members of his first violin section presented him a bouquet of flowers in appreciation and thanks for his contribution to the orchestra. Thank you very much, dear Eckert!”