Nicholas Braithwaite
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Paul Dallon Braithwaite (born 26 August 1939, London
) is an English
conductor. He is the son of the conductor Warwick Braithwaite
.
Braithwaite studied at the Royal Academy of Music
, at the Festival masterclasses in Bayreuth, and with Hans Swarowsky
in Vienna
. In the 1960s, Braithwaite was associate conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
. He served as resident conductor at Sadler's Wells Opera for three seasons, from 1971 to 1974, where he conducted Richard Wagner
's Ring cycle
. In 1976, he was named music director of Glyndebourne Touring Opera., and served in that post until 1980. With the Manchester Camerata
, Braithwaite was principal guest conductor from 1977 to 1984, and principal conductor from 1984 to 1991.
In Australia, Braithwaite was principal conductor of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
, from 1987 to 1991, and also held the same post with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
. He has served as permanent guest conductor of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra
. He has made recordings with orchestras such as the London Philharmonic
, London Symphony
and Philharmonia
orchestras. He was named musical director and chief conductor of Gothenburg's Stora Teater in 1981, and served there until 1984.
He has conducted more than 70 different opera
s with many companies around the world. He has appeared with the Royal Opera
, Covent Garden, Welsh National Opera
, Hamburg State Opera
, Norwegian Opera, State Opera of South Australia
, Opera Australia
and New Zealand Opera.
Braithwaite has also served as the Dean of Music at the Victorian College of the Arts
from 1988 to 1991.
Braithwaite married Gillian Agnes Haggerty in August 1985. They have one son and one daughter.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
conductor. He is the son of the conductor Warwick Braithwaite
Warwick Braithwaite
Henry Warwick Braithwaite was a New Zealand-born orchestra conductor. He worked mostly in Great Britain and was especially known for his work in opera....
.
Braithwaite studied at the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
, at the Festival masterclasses in Bayreuth, and with Hans Swarowsky
Hans Swarowsky
Hans Swarowsky was an Austrian conductor of Hungarian birth and Jewish descent.Swarowsky was born in Budapest, Hungary. He studied the art of conducting under Felix Weingartner and Richard Strauss...
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...
. In the 1960s, Braithwaite was associate conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is an English orchestra. Originally based in Bournemouth, the BSO moved its offices to the adjacent town of Poole in 1979....
. He served as resident conductor at Sadler's Wells Opera for three seasons, from 1971 to 1974, where he conducted Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
's Ring cycle
Der Ring des Nibelungen
Der Ring des Nibelungen is a cycle of four epic operas by the German composer Richard Wagner . The works are based loosely on characters from the Norse sagas and the Nibelungenlied...
. In 1976, he was named music director of Glyndebourne Touring Opera., and served in that post until 1980. With the Manchester Camerata
Manchester Camerata
The Manchester Camerata is a British chamber orchestra based in Manchester, England. The orchestra was founded in the 1971–1972 season. A sub-group from the orchestra, the Manchester Camerata Ensemble, specialises in chamber music performances....
, Braithwaite was principal guest conductor from 1977 to 1984, and principal conductor from 1984 to 1991.
In Australia, Braithwaite was principal conductor of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra was founded as a 17 player radio ensemble in 1936, in Adelaide, South Australia. The orchestra reformed in 1949 as the 55 member South Australian Symphony Orchestra. It reverted to its original and present title, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, in late 1974, and...
, from 1987 to 1991, and also held the same post with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It is the smallest of the six orchestras established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation .-Activities:...
. He has served as permanent guest conductor of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra
Norwegian Radio Orchestra
The Norwegian Radio Orchestra is a Norwegian orchestra affiliated with the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation . Its principal base is the Store Studio at the NRK headquarters in Oslo....
. He has made recordings with orchestras such as the London Philharmonic
London Philharmonic Orchestra
The London Philharmonic Orchestra , based in London, is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom, and is based in the Royal Festival Hall. In addition, the LPO is the main resident orchestra of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera...
, London Symphony
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
and Philharmonia
Philharmonia
The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in Great Britain, based in London. Since 1995, it has been based in the Royal Festival Hall. In Britain it is also the resident orchestra at De Montfort Hall, Leicester and the Corn Exchange, Bedford, as well as The Anvil, Basingstoke...
orchestras. He was named musical director and chief conductor of Gothenburg's Stora Teater in 1981, and served there until 1984.
He has conducted more than 70 different opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
s with many companies around the world. He has appeared with the Royal Opera
Royal Opera, London
The Royal Opera is an opera company based in central London, resident at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Along with the English National Opera, it is one of the two principal opera companies in London. Founded in 1946 as the Covent Garden Opera Company, it was known by that title until 1968...
, Covent Garden, Welsh National Opera
Welsh National Opera
Welsh National Opera is an opera company founded in Cardiff, Wales in 1943. The WNO tours Wales, the United Kingdom and the rest of the world extensively. Annually, it gives more than 120 performances of eight main stage operas to a combined audience of around 150,000 people...
, Hamburg State Opera
Hamburg State Opera
The Hamburg State Opera is one of the leading opera companies in Germany.Opera in Hamburg dates back to 2 January 1678 when the "Opern-Theatrum" was inaugurated with a performance of a biblical Singspiel by Johann Theile...
, Norwegian Opera, State Opera of South Australia
State Opera of South Australia
State Opera of South Australia is a professional opera company in Adelaide, South Australia, established in 1976. Each year, the State Opera presents at least three major operatic productions at the Adelaide Festival Theatre as well as producing or supporting other smaller productions in The Opera...
, Opera Australia
Opera Australia
Opera Australia is the principal opera company in Australia. Based in Sydney, its performance season at the Sydney Opera House runs for approximately eight months of the year, with the remainder of its time spent in the The Arts Centre in Melbourne...
and New Zealand Opera.
Braithwaite has also served as the Dean of Music at the Victorian College of the Arts
Victorian College of the Arts
The Faculty of the VCA and Music is a faculty of the University of Melbourne, in Victoria . VCAM is located near the Melbourne central business district, on two campuses, one - the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - on the Parkville campus of the University of Melbourne, and the other - the...
from 1988 to 1991.
Braithwaite married Gillian Agnes Haggerty in August 1985. They have one son and one daughter.