Munich Philharmonic set to replace general manager

Falling out with the orchestra and musical director became the reason for the Munich Philharmonic to fire its general manager.

Mayor Christian Ude determined that the relationship between Thielemann and general manager Wouter Hoekstra was "shattered" after being called in to help seek a solution, Ude's office said in a statement. It did not elaborate on the nature of the dispute.

Ude proposed negotiations to terminate the contract of Hoekstra - who joined the Munich orchestra in 2004 from Amsterdam's Concertgebouw - and to replace him with Paul Mueller, the general manager of Bavaria's Bamberg Symphony.

Munich's political parties agreed that keeping Thielemann at the orchestra and ending the conflict was of "outstanding interest" for the city, the statement said.