Born in Dresden, Schwinger was the scion of a family of theologians and had two brothers.
He studied musicology in Berlin and worked as a journalist at the same time.
In 1954 he was awarded his doctorate with a thesis on Hippolyte Chélard at the Humboldt University of Berlin.
As director he engaged Achim Freyer, Harry Kupfer, Axel Manthey, Giancarlo del Monaco, Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, Robert Wilson and Götz Friedrich.
He then acted as artistic advisor to the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart.