Vita

Frank_Nimsgern_Vita
Frank Nimsgern, recipient of the ARD Television Award (2000), was most recently honored in Berlin in 2025 with the German-Language Musical Award for his composition “Seele für Seele”.

2025 Frank Nimsgern was appointed Professor of Composition and Production at the University of Music Saar.

Already in 2024 he received the Musical Award in Munich for “Zauberflöte” as well; prior to that, in 2017 he received two Musical1 Awards as well as the 1st Prize of the Musical1 polls in 2019. He was also nominated several times for the German Musical Theatre Award. The composer, producer, and musician is considered one of the defining representatives of contemporary European musical theatre.

To date, more than two million visitors have seen his works, including
“Der Ring” (Opera Bonn, Theater Hof, Festspielhaus Neuschwanstein),
“Zauberflöte – The Musical!” (Deutsches Theater Munich, Metronome Theater Oberhausen),
“Qi”, “Elements”, “Hexen”, “Hansel & Gretel” (Friedrichstadt-Palast Berlin),
“POE” (Munich), “Phantasma” (Saarland State Theatre),
“Falco”, “Der Mann mit dem Lachen” (State Operetta Dresden),
“Jack the Ripper” (Theater Hof), “Paradise of Pain” as well as “SnoWhite” (Opera Bonn).
The latter two productions were broadcast, among others, by ARD as musical films.

His most recent work “Seele für Seele” celebrated its world premiere on May 1, 2025 at the Festspielhaus Neuschwanstein and was subsequently taken over directly by the Luisenburg Festival.


For “The Magic Flute – The Musical!” he was honored in 2025 in Munich in the categories “Best Musical” as well as “Best Composition & Sound Design” .In 2019, “Der Ring” and “Der Mann mit dem Lachen” received a total of five nominations for the German Musical Theatre Award.
In 2020, “Der Mann mit dem Lachen” won 1st prize as “Most Popular New Musical” (Musical1).
The album for “Jack the Ripper” reached No. 1 in the German musical charts in December 2022.

In 2021, Nimsgern composed and produced “80 Plus”, the life album of Dieter Hallervorden.
The George Michael revue “Freedom” as well as his first opera “Martyr” premiered at the Theater Pforzheim.
“Jack the Ripper” sold out across the entire season in Bavaria shortly after its world premiere.
In 2022, the musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” followed at the Luisenburg Festival.

Among other works, Nimsgern wrote the title song for Siegfried & Roy’s Daily Show in Las Vegas and, for Anna Netrebko, the TUI Cruises anthem “Ocean of Love” as well as five other shows for the Mein Schiff fleet.
He has composed more than two dozen film scores, including for ten episodes of Tatort as well as films such as “The Village”.
From 1994–1996 he worked as musical director and guitarist for Chaka Khan in Europe.

As producer and composer, he has been responsible for over 50 albums, including with Anna Netrebko, Gino Vannelli, Billy Cobham, The Supremes, Klaus Doldinger, Pete York, Jon Lord, Mark Seibert, Siegmund Nimsgern and Dieter Hallervorden.
With his own band, he performed and taught worldwide for the Goethe Institute, including award-winning appearances in Jakarta.

The Süddeutsche Zeitung described him as
“a German composer of world-class stature”.

The soundtrack to “The Magic Flute – The Musical!” reached over 500,000 streams within five months, placed four songs in the German Musical Top Ten radio charts, and was voted Album of the Year by musicalradio.de.

Works

Year Activity
2025 “Seele für Seele” Musical
Luisenburg Festival & Festival Hall Neuschwanstein / Great Rock Stage, Wunsiedel
Composition as well as music production
2025 “The Magic Flute – The Musical” Metronome Theater Oberhausen & Festival Hall Neuschwanstein
Composition, music production as well as co-artistic direction
2024 World premiere: “The Magic Flute – The Musical” Deutsches Theater Munich.
2023 “Jack the Ripper” Zeltpalast Merzig.
2022 World premiere: “Jack the Ripper” Theater Hof.

CD + Audiobook with Dieter Hallervorden, Mark Seibert, Zodwa Selele, Sandy Mölling.

World premiere: “Martyr” Opera musical by F.N. & T. Münstermann, Theater Pforzheim.

World premiere: “The Tempest” based on Shakespeare Music: FN Open-air stage Luisenburg

Musical directions:

Mark Seibert Tour “Mark mal anders”

“Zeitelmoos” Open-air stage Luisenburg

2021 Dieter Hallervorden “80 Plus” production & composition.

Album release: Telamo / Film: Halliwood Berlin,

“Freedom” George Michael Show Theater Pforzheim

ZDF New Year’s Eve Gala Berlin

2020 Zeppelin – The Musical” arrangement & supervision for Ralph Siegel

Dieter Hallervorden “80 Plus” production

2019 State Operetta Dresden World premiere

“Der Mann mit dem Lachen” A symphonic musical by F.N. for opera, ballet and musical ensemble.

Musical Director & Composer Mark Seibert Tour

 

“The Ring” Festival Hall Neuschwanstein 3rd year

2018 “The Ring” Festival Hall Füssen / Musical1 Silver Award

“Most Popular Musical – short run” and “Best New Musical 2016”

Rock Musical Circus” by F.N. for TUI CRUISES Mein Schiff

2017 “Falco” Musical ballet by Amy Share & F.N., Theater Pforzheim over 40 shows

and 2 seasons / various TV compositions.

2016 The Ring” Theater Hof

No. 1 on the musical CD charts with Mark Seibert “So Far” produced & recorded by FN.

Composer and author for “CARE – Germany” and the “Kinderschutzbund”

2015 Paradise of Pain’’ Reloaded at the Saarland State Theatre.

Lecturing Stage Factory Berlin, Hamburg “Joop van der Ende Academy”, Nancy M.A.I.

2014 Volunteer projects : “Care” Germany Luxembourg e.V./

The anti-racism project “Farbenblind” with students from 8 nations

Official representative: Alliance Against Depression & Kinderschutzbund

2013 ARD film adaptation of F.N.’s “SnoWhite” Opera Bonn

“SnoWhite” tour incl. en suite in Neunkirchen Gebläsehalle

Film scores “Fair Trade”, “SnoWhite” ARD

“Falco” Theater Trier Ballet by Amy Share / arranged & produced by F.N.

2012 “Qi” Orchestral suite for TUI Cruises “Mein Schiff”

“SnoWhite” Co-producer, conducting & artistic direction – Opera Bonn

Managing Director of ON Stage GmbH

“Play me” Conducting and supervising – Opera Chemnitz

ARD Tatort “A Handful of Paradise”

2011 Strangel – Angel of the Odds” Morro Images film score“Rocky Horror Show”Conducting and new arrangement, Saarbrücken State Theatre
2010 Hepzibah” film score for the feature film, PRO 7,

Friedrichstadtpalast Berlin

“Qi – a Palace Fantasy, Show Composition, Production & Arrangement.

“SnoWhite” audiobook with Hannelore Elsner (TUI Cruises)

2009 London / Hamburg

Ocean of love

Composition and recordings with Anna Netrebko and with the German Film Orchestra Babelsberg

Hamburg / Berlin

AQUA” German Film Orchestra Babelsberg. Show, composition and music. Supervisor for TUI CRUISES Entertainment Berlin. Soundtrack on iTunes

Saarland State Theatre

“Phantasma”, musical, world premiere
Concept, composition, arrangement, co-production and musical direction / soundtrack released by Sony

Year Activity
2008 Friedrichstadtpalast Berlin

“Qi – a Palace Fantasy, Show
Composition, Arrangement, Supervisor & Soundtrack2009 en suite, 520,000 visitors.

International Commercial Trailer for Carlsberg “The Cornfield”

2007 Opera Bonn

“The Ring”, Musical (World Premiere)
Concept, Composition, Arrangement and Musical Direction. Soundtrack released by Sony BMG

“Saar Suite” Commissioned composition and Artistic Direction by the Saarland State Government on the occasion of 50 years

2006 London, West End, Shaftesbury

“Daddy Cool”, Musical by Frank Farian

Score Composer for Additional Music and Musical Director

“Rache-Engel”ARD Tatort Film Score

ARD Children’s Film “Ritter oder Engel” Film Score

Theatre Trier

“Paradise of Pain”, Composition and Music Supervisor

2005 Munich “Tollwood Festival”

“POE”, Musical

Production, Overall Musical and Artistic Direction

2004 Saarland State Theatre Saarbrücken

“POE”, Musical (World Premiere)

Concept, Composition, Arrangement, and Musical Direction

Lyrics: Heinz Rudolf Kunze / Aino Laos

Friedrichstadtpalast Berlin

“HEXEN” (World Premiere)

Composition and Arrangement

“Teufel im Leib” ARD Tatort Film Score

Saarland State Theatre

“ARENA”, Crossover Opera (World Premiere)

Concept, Composition, Arrangement and Musical Direction

2002 “Reise ins Nichts” ARD Tatort Film Score

“Alibi für Amelie” ARD Tatort Film Score

2001 “Du hast keine Chance”ARD Tatort Film Score

“Die Zielscheibe”ARD Tatort Film Score

2000 “Golden Europe” Awarding of the ARD Television Prize

to Frank Nimsgern and his musicals “Paradise of Pain”, “SnoWhite” .

“Die Möwe”ARD Tatort Film Score

Saarland State Theatre

“SNOWHITE”, Musical (World Premiere)

Composition, Arrangement and Musical Direction Lyrics: F. Felicetti

1999 Friedrichstadtpalast Berlin

“ELEMENTS” – The Millennium Show (World Premiere)

Composition, Lyrics and Arrangements

Book: Sascha Illjinskij, Jürgen Nass

1998 Saarland State Theatre

“PARADISE OF PAIN”, Musical (World Premiere)

Concept, Composition, Arrangement and Conducting

1997 – 1999 “CLASSIC OPEN AIR” Berlin

Musical Direction and Arrangement

1996 – 1999 Berlin Friedrichstadtpalast

Composer and Arranger for

“The Flower of Hawaii” – Operetta Adaptation

“Hansel and Gretel” – Children’s Revue Opera

“Dreams” – Revue

“Lucky Ladies” – Jazz Revue

since 1997

Composer and Instrumentalist for national and international commercials for cinema and TV, among others for Peugeot, Karlsberg, Schwartau and Langnese1991 – 1992 Recording of the ARD series “Superdrumming” (Jon Hiseman, Pete York)

1990 – 2001

Recordings and Tours

with musicians such as Chaka Khan, Billy Cobham, Gino Vannelli, Klaus Doldinger, Bobby Kimball, Pete York, Prof. Christoph Spendel, Wolfgang Dalheimer, Anna Netrebko etc.
Release of five solo albums – three of them international releases
1993 Award as Best Performing Live Act in Jakarta – Southeast Asia.
Over 600 concerts worldwide including Germany, the USA, Southeast Asia, Switzerland, Poland, Austria, India, Siberia, Russia and Africa (on behalf of the Goethe Institute and the German Embassy) with the Frank Nimsgern Group