Julius Rudel
Encyclopedia
Julius Rudel is an American
opera and orchestra
conductor who emigrated to the United States from Austria
at the age of 17 and studied conducting at the Mannes College of Music
in New York City. He then forged a 35-year career with the New York City Opera
, from 1944 to 1979, and was the Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic. Between 1958 and 1963 he conducted frequently for the Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company
, also serving as the company's Artistic Director for part of that time. In 1978, he first conducted at the Metropolitan Opera
, making his debut with Werther. He has also won a Grammy Award
.
Rudel was born in Vienna
and was a student at the city's Academy of Music, but left Austria in 1938 after the country was annexed by Germany
. After completing his music studies in the United States, he joined the New York City Opera, making his conducting debut in 1944. After rising to Principal Conductor and General Director in 1957, he brought the company international acclaim with his innovative programming (including three seasons of all-American operas, in 1958, 1959, and 1960), and formed a partnership with Beverly Sills
, who became the leading soprano of the NYCO. It was Rudel who led the company to their new home at the State Theater in Lincoln Center in 1966, opening with Ginastera's Don Rodrigo starring the young Plácido Domingo.
Rudel has conducted major orchestras and operas throughout the world. In 1979, he accepted the position of Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
, succeeding Michael Tilson Thomas
. He led the BPO through the 1985 season. He was the first Music Director of both Washington's Kennedy Center and the Wolf Trap Festival, and from 1962 to 1976 he was Music Director of the Caramoor Festival.
He is a National Patron of Delta Omicron
, an international professional music fraternity.
In 2009 he was honored by the American National Endowment for the Arts for his many contributions to Opera.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
opera and orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
conductor who emigrated to the United States from Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
at the age of 17 and studied conducting at the Mannes College of Music
Mannes College of Music
Mannes College The New School for Music is The New School university's music conservatory. While the university's main campus is located in Greenwich Village, New York City, Mannes maintains its main academic building on the Upper West Side of Manhattan....
in New York City. He then forged a 35-year career with the New York City Opera
New York City Opera
The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and...
, from 1944 to 1979, and was the Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic. Between 1958 and 1963 he conducted frequently for the Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company
Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company
The Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company was an American opera company located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that was active between 1958 and 1974. The company was led by a number of Artistic Directors during its history, beginning with Aurelio Fabiani. Other notable Artistic Directors include Julius...
, also serving as the company's Artistic Director for part of that time. In 1978, he first conducted at the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
, making his debut with Werther. He has also won a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
.
Rudel was born in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and was a student at the city's Academy of Music, but left Austria in 1938 after the country was annexed by Germany
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
. After completing his music studies in the United States, he joined the New York City Opera, making his conducting debut in 1944. After rising to Principal Conductor and General Director in 1957, he brought the company international acclaim with his innovative programming (including three seasons of all-American operas, in 1958, 1959, and 1960), and formed a partnership with Beverly Sills
Beverly Sills
Beverly Sills was an American operatic soprano whose peak career was between the 1950s and 1970s. In her prime she was the only real rival to Joan Sutherland as the leading bel canto stylist...
, who became the leading soprano of the NYCO. It was Rudel who led the company to their new home at the State Theater in Lincoln Center in 1966, opening with Ginastera's Don Rodrigo starring the young Plácido Domingo.
Rudel has conducted major orchestras and operas throughout the world. In 1979, he accepted the position of Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra located in Buffalo, New York. Its primary performing venue is Kleinhans Music Hall, which is a National Historic Landmark. Its regular concert season features gala concerts, classics programming of core repertoire, Pops...
, succeeding Michael Tilson Thomas
Michael Tilson Thomas
Michael Tilson Thomas is an American conductor, pianist and composer. He is currently music director of the San Francisco Symphony, and artistic director of the New World Symphony Orchestra.-Early years:...
. He led the BPO through the 1985 season. He was the first Music Director of both Washington's Kennedy Center and the Wolf Trap Festival, and from 1962 to 1976 he was Music Director of the Caramoor Festival.
He is a National Patron of Delta Omicron
Delta Omicron
Delta Omicron is a co-ed international professional music honors fraternity whose mission is to promote and support excellence in music and musicianship.-History:...
, an international professional music fraternity.
In 2009 he was honored by the American National Endowment for the Arts for his many contributions to Opera.
Abridged Discography
- Floyd: The Sojourner and Mollie Sinclair (Neway, Treigle; 1963) [live] VAI
- Handel: Giulio Cesare (Sills, Wolff, Forrester, Treigle; 1967) RCARCARCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
- Ginastera: Bomarzo (Novoa; 1967) CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
- Massenet: Manon (Sills, Gedda, Souzay, Bacquier; 1970) WestminsterWestminsterWestminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
- Offenbach: Les contes d'Hoffmann (Sills, Marsee, Burrows, Treigle; 1972) Westminster
- Donizetti: Anna Bolena (Sills, Verrett, Burrows, Plishka; 1972) Westminster
- Bellini: I puritani (Sills, Gedda, L.Quilico, Plishka; 1973) Westminster
- Boito: Mefistofele (Caballé, Domingo, Treigle; 1973) EMIEMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
- Massenet: Thaïs (Moffo, Carreras, Bacquier, Díaz; 1974) RCA
- Charpentier: Louise (Sills, Gedda, van Dam; 1977) EMI
- Lehár: Die lustige Witwe: excerpts (Sills, H.Price, Titus; 1978) EMI
- Massenet: Cendrillon (Welting, von Stade, Gedda; 1978) CBS
- Verdi: Rigoletto (Sills, Kraus, Milnes, Ramey; 1978) EMI
- Weill: Der Silbersee (Grey; 1980) NonesuchNonesuchThe word nonesuch means something with nothing like it; an unrivalled thing; a paragon. Nonesuch can also refer to the following:*Nonesuch Press*Nonesuch Records*Nonesuch River*Nonesuch River Golf Course...
Abridged Videography
- Donizetti: Roberto Devereux (Sills, Marsee, J.Alexander, Fredricks; Capobianco, 1975) [live] VAI
- Verdi: La traviata (Sills, H.Price, Fredricks; Capobianco, 1976) [live] VAI
- Massenet: Manon (Sills, H.Price, Fredricks, Ramey; Capobianco, 1977) [live] Paramount
- Saint-Saëns: Samson et Dalila (Verrett, Domingo, Brendel; Joël, 1981) [live] Kultur
- Giordano: Andrea Chénier (Tomowa-Sintow, Domingo, Zancanaro; Hampe, 1985) [live] Kultur