Keene, Christopher

▪ 1996

      U.S. musician (b. Dec. 21, 1946, Berkeley, Calif.—d. Oct. 8, 1995, New York, N.Y.), was an influential conductor and arts administrator who harboured a special enthusiasm for contemporary opera. In his 26 years with the New York City Opera and especially as general director from 1989, he strove to extend its repertoire beyond the lavish, more traditional type of productions typical of the Metropolitan Opera. Keene began studying music as a child and organized neighbourhood opera and theatrical productions. At the University of California, Berkeley, he majored in history, claiming that he had already learned all about music. He spent much of his time and energy, however, directing and conducting operas—both student and semiprofessional—and he dropped out of school in 1967. He had made his public conducting debut with Benjamin Britten's The Rape of Lucretia in 1965 and was an assistant conductor at the San Francisco Opera in 1966 and the San Diego (Calif.) Opera in 1967. Keene made (1968) his European debut at the Festival of the Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy, when Gian Carlo Menotti invited him to conduct The Saint of Bleecker Street. He later served as music director (1972-76) of that festival and director (1977-80) of the Spoleto Festival U.S.A., Charleston, S.C. Keene's association with the New York City Opera began when he became (1969) the first Julius Rudel fellow in the company's training program. His conducting debut there was in 1970, and his Metropolitan Opera bow was the following year. While continuing to conduct at the New York City Opera, he took the posts of music director of the Artpark Festival, Buffalo, N.Y. (1974-89), the Syracuse (N.Y.) Symphony (1975-84), and the Long Island (N.Y.) Philharmonic Orchestra (1979-90), which he founded. Keene was music director (1982-86) of the New York City Opera, and when Beverly Sills retired as general director (1989), he succeeded her. Keene also made numerous guest appearances—conducting many world premieres—and wrote and translated libretti.

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