Maazel, Lorin

▪ American conductor

in full  Lorin Varencove Maazel  

born March 6, 1930, Neuilly, France

      conductor and violinist who, as music director of the Cleveland Orchestra from 1972 to 1982, was only the second American to have served as principal conductor of a major American orchestra.

      Maazel grew up in Los Angeles and began his first musical instruction at age five. Although he began conducting as early as age nine, he made his adult debut in 1953 in Italy, where he was researching Baroque music on a Fulbright scholarship. Thereafter he held conducting appointments with the Deutsche Oper, West Berlin (1965–71), the West Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra (1965–75), the New Philharmonia Orchestra of London (1970–72; 1976–80), the Cleveland Orchestra (1972–82), the French National Orchestra (1977–90), the Pittsburgh Symphony (1986–96), and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (1993–2002). In 1982–1984 he was artistic director of the Vienna State Opera, the first American to hold the post. He became music director of the New York Philharmonic Symphony in 2002.

      Maazel was equally at home in operatic and orchestral music, and his repertoire ranged from the 18th century to the most recent works. Undemonstrative on the podium, he combined clarity with great emotional depth. He also appeared frequently as a violinist.

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