Walter Herbert (conductor)
Encyclopedia
Walter Herbert was an American conductor
and impresario
of German birth, as well as a world champion at contract bridge
.
He was born Walter Seligmann in Frankfurt, and studied composition under Arnold Schönberg in Vienna
. He gained experience as a conductor in Germany
and Switzerland
, as well as chief conductor at the Vienna Volksoper (1931–38). His operatic debut was with Carmen, at the Stadttheater Bern, in 1925. Just before the 1938 Anschluss
of Germany and Austria, Herbert visited Japan
to introduce modern western music. From there he migrated to the United States
, where he became an American citizen in 1944.
Herbert was director of Opera in English (San Francisco, 1940–43), and in 1943 was appointed the first general director of the New Orleans Opera
Association, where he held the post until 1954. He proceeded to found the Houston Grand Opera
in 1955, where he remained as both general director and conductor until 1972, and was music director of Opera/South (which was founded by Sister M. Elise Sisson, SBS) in Jackson, Mississippi
. He founded the San Diego Opera
in 1965, and became its general director and conductor from 1969 until his death.
Herbert worked with most of the great singers of his day, and gave many of them their start in the opera world. In April 1948, during Herbert's regime in New Orleans, the young Mario Lanza
made one of his very few operatic stage-appearances, as B.F. Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, under Herbert's baton, and Armando Agnini
's stage direction. It was announced that he had accepted the role of Alfredo Germont, in the New Orleans Opera's La traviata, in May 1948, but Hollywood apparently interfered with those plans.
At the bridge table in the 1930s, Herbert was one member of the Austria national team led by Paul Stern
. The team won four of the first six European teams championships, with Herbert playing in 1933 and 1937.
The 1937 field included two teams from the United States and doubled as the first world championship tournament.
"Herbert" is a bridge convention
attributed to Walter Herbert, bidding the first step rather than two notrump with a weak hand in response to two of a suit.
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
and impresario
Impresario
An impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
of German birth, as well as a world champion at contract bridge
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
.
He was born Walter Seligmann in Frankfurt, and studied composition under Arnold Schönberg 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...
. He gained experience as a conductor in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, as well as chief conductor at the Vienna Volksoper (1931–38). His operatic debut was with Carmen, at the Stadttheater Bern, in 1925. Just before the 1938 Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
of Germany and Austria, Herbert visited Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to introduce modern western music. From there he migrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he became an American citizen in 1944.
Herbert was director of Opera in English (San Francisco, 1940–43), and in 1943 was appointed the first general director of the New Orleans Opera
New Orleans Opera
Opera has long been part of the musical culture of New Orleans, Louisiana. Operas have regularly been performed in the city since the 1790s, and for the majority of the city's history since the early 19th century, New Orleans has had a resident company regularly performing opera in addition to...
Association, where he held the post until 1954. He proceeded to found the Houston Grand Opera
Houston Grand Opera
Houston Grand Opera Houston Grand Opera was founded in 1955 through the joint efforts of Maestro Walter Herbert and cultural leaders Mrs. Louis G. Lobit, Edward Bing and Charles Cockrell...
in 1955, where he remained as both general director and conductor until 1972, and was music director of Opera/South (which was founded by Sister M. Elise Sisson, SBS) in Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
. He founded the San Diego Opera
San Diego Opera
The San Diego Opera Association is a professional opera company located in the city of San Diego, California and is a member of OPERA America. It was founded in 1950 to present productions by San Francisco Opera in the San Diego area...
in 1965, and became its general director and conductor from 1969 until his death.
Herbert worked with most of the great singers of his day, and gave many of them their start in the opera world. In April 1948, during Herbert's regime in New Orleans, the young Mario Lanza
Mario Lanza
right|thumb|[[MGM]] still, circa 1949Mario Lanza was an American tenor and Hollywood movie star of the late 1940s and the 1950s. The son of Italian emigrants, he began studying to be a professional singer at the age of 16....
made one of his very few operatic stage-appearances, as B.F. Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, under Herbert's baton, and Armando Agnini
Armando Agnini
- Metropolitan Opera :Born in Naples, Italy, he went to the United States at the age of eighteen. He was associated with companies in Boston and Montreal, and made his debut with the Metropolitan Opera with a production of I puritani , in 1919...
's stage direction. It was announced that he had accepted the role of Alfredo Germont, in the New Orleans Opera's La traviata, in May 1948, but Hollywood apparently interfered with those plans.
Bridge
Paul Stern
Dr Paul Stern , lawyer and diplomat, was an Austrian international bridge player who fled to London in 1938. He was a bidding theorist and administrator who contributed to the early growth of the game...
. The team won four of the first six European teams championships, with Herbert playing in 1933 and 1937.
The 1937 field included two teams from the United States and doubled as the first world championship tournament.
"Herbert" is a bridge convention
Bridge convention
A bridge convention is a system of calls made during the auction phase of a contract bridge game which conveys a coded meaning about the players' card holdings...
attributed to Walter Herbert, bidding the first step rather than two notrump with a weak hand in response to two of a suit.
Commercial Discography
- Verdi: Un ballo in maschera (S.Morris, Schuh, Larrimore, Björling, Rothmüller, Treigle; 1950) [live] VAI
- Verdi: Rigoletto (Güden, Conley, Warren, Wilderman, Treigle; 1952) [live] VAI
- Verdi: La forza del destino (Milanov, Turner, del Monaco, Warren, Treigle; 1953) [live] VAI
- Ponchielli: La Gioconda: excerpts (Milanov, Turner, Madeira, Turrini, Bardelli, Moscona; 1953) [live] VAI
External links
- Walter Herbert conducting an excerpt from Faust, with Frances YeendFrances YeendFrances Yeend was an American classical soprano who had an active international career as a concert and opera singer during the 1940s through the 1960s...
, Richard CassillyRichard CassillyRichard Cassilly was an American operatic tenor who had a major international opera career between 1954 and 1990...
, and Norman TreigleNorman TreigleNorman Treigle was an American operatic bass-baritone, who was acclaimed for his great abilities as a singing-actor, and specialized in roles that evoked villainy and terror....
(1957, Houston concert) - Walter Herbert player record at the World Bridge FederationWorld Bridge FederationThe World Bridge Federation is the world governing body of contract bridge. The WBF is responsible for world championship competition, most of which is conducted at a few multi-event meets on a four-year cycle...