Werner Torkanowsky
Encyclopedia
Werner Torkanowsky was a successful German conductor in both the concert hall and opera house.
He was born in Berlin, Germany, and raised on a kibbutz
in Israel, coming to the United States in 1948 to study the violin. From 1954 to 1958, however, he studied conducting under Pierre Monteux
. Following his debut with the Ballets Espagnoles, he became Music Director of Jerome Robbins
's "Ballet USA."
In 1959, Torkanowsky made his debut with the New York City Opera
, with Gian Carlo Menotti's The Medium, with Claramae Turner
in the name part. The next year, he led The Consul with the company. It was around that time that he was conductor for a film of that opera, starring Patricia Neway
and Chester Ludgin
. (It went unseen until 2004, when it was released by VAI on DVD and Compact Discs, to much acclaim.) He returned to the City Opera in 1962 for, again, The Consul.
In 1961, Torkanowsky first led the New York Philharmonic
as guest conductor, and was to make his first recording with that ensemble: George Rochberg
's Second Symphony, for Columbia (c.1962), which was released by CRI on Compact Disc, in 1997.
He went on to conduct many major orchestras, including those in Israel, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and Detroit, as well as at the Spoleto Festival (Samuel Barber
's Vanessa, 1961).
From 1963 to 1977, he was Music Director and Chief Conductor of the New Orleans Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, with whom he made an album for Orion in December 1971. On that recording were works by Carlisle Floyd
, Alan Hovhaness
(Fra Angelico) and Ned Rorem
(Lions). The Floyd compositions were three excerpts from his "solo cantata on biblical texts," Pilgrimage, with Norman Treigle
. He also conducted performances of Boito's Mefistofele with Treigle, for the San Diego Opera
(1973) and Seattle Opera
(1974).
In 1981, he was named Music Director of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra
in Maine, where he remained until he succumbed to cancer at the age of sixty-six. Following his death, the Symphony published a double Compact Disc set of various performances dating from 1989 to 1992. Included are Beethoven's Die Weihe des Hauses, Tchaikovsky's Roméo et Juliette, Sibelius' Symphony no.2 (his final performance with the ensemble), Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé, Schuman's New England Tripych, Balada's Fantasias sonoras, as well as his own composition, 3 Movements for Maine. His son, David Torkanowsky (from the first of his three marriages), is a jazz performer in New Orleans.
He was born in Berlin, Germany, and raised on a kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
in Israel, coming to the United States in 1948 to study the violin. From 1954 to 1958, however, he studied conducting under Pierre Monteux
Pierre Monteux
Pierre Monteux was an orchestra conductor. Born in Paris, France, Monteux later became an American citizen.-Life and career:Monteux was born in Paris in 1875. His family was descended from Sephardi Jews who came to France in the wake of the Spanish Inquisition. He studied violin from an early age,...
. Following his debut with the Ballets Espagnoles, he became Music Director of Jerome Robbins
Jerome Robbins
Jerome Robbins was an American theater producer, director, and choreographer known primarily for Broadway Theater and Ballet/Dance, but who also occasionally directed films and directed/produced for television. His work has included everything from classical ballet to contemporary musical theater...
's "Ballet USA."
In 1959, Torkanowsky made his debut 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...
, with Gian Carlo Menotti's The Medium, with Claramae Turner
Claramae Turner
Claramae Turner is an American opera singer. She is perhaps best known for singing You'll Never Walk Alone and some of June Is Bustin' Out all Over in the musical film Carousel, adapted from the Rodgers and Hammerstein stage musical of the same name.Born in Dinuba, California, she was a contralto...
in the name part. The next year, he led The Consul with the company. It was around that time that he was conductor for a film of that opera, starring Patricia Neway
Patricia Neway
Patricia Neway is an American operatic soprano and musical theatre actress who had an active international career during the mid-1940s through the 1970s. She is particularly remembered for creating roles in the world premieres of several contemporary American operas, most notably Magda Sorel in...
and Chester Ludgin
Chester Ludgin
-Biography:Chester Ludgin was a native of Brooklyn, New York. He made his professional debut in 1956 with The Experimental Opera Theatre of America , as Baron Scarpia in Giacomo Puccini's Tosca, conducted by Renato Cellini and directed by Armando Agnini...
. (It went unseen until 2004, when it was released by VAI on DVD and Compact Discs, to much acclaim.) He returned to the City Opera in 1962 for, again, The Consul.
In 1961, Torkanowsky first led the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
as guest conductor, and was to make his first recording with that ensemble: George Rochberg
George Rochberg
George Rochberg was an American composer of contemporary classical music.-Life:Rochberg was born in Paterson, New Jersey. He attended the Mannes College of Music, where his teachers included George Szell and Hans Weisse, and the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Rosario Scalero and...
's Second Symphony, for Columbia (c.1962), which was released by CRI on Compact Disc, in 1997.
He went on to conduct many major orchestras, including those in Israel, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and Detroit, as well as at the Spoleto Festival (Samuel Barber
Samuel Barber
Samuel Osborne Barber II was an American composer of orchestral, opera, choral, and piano music. His Adagio for Strings is his most popular composition and widely considered a masterpiece of modern classical music...
's Vanessa, 1961).
From 1963 to 1977, he was Music Director and Chief Conductor of the New Orleans Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, with whom he made an album for Orion in December 1971. On that recording were works by Carlisle Floyd
Carlisle Floyd
Carlisle Floyd is an American opera composer. The son of a Methodist minister, he based many of his works on themes from the South...
, Alan Hovhaness
Alan Hovhaness
Alan Hovhaness was an Armenian-American composer.His music is accessible to the lay listener and often evokes a mood of mystery or contemplation...
(Fra Angelico) and Ned Rorem
Ned Rorem
Ned Rorem is a Pulitzer prize-winning American composer and diarist. He is best known and most praised for his song settings.-Life:...
(Lions). The Floyd compositions were three excerpts from his "solo cantata on biblical texts," Pilgrimage, with Norman Treigle
Norman Treigle
Norman 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....
. He also conducted performances of Boito's Mefistofele with Treigle, for 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...
(1973) and Seattle Opera
Seattle Opera
The Seattle Opera is an opera company located in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1963 by Glynn Ross, who served as the company's first general director through 1983, Seattle Opera's season runs from August to late May, with five or six operas offered and with eight to ten performances each, often...
(1974).
In 1981, he was named Music Director of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra
Bangor Symphony Orchestra
The Bangor Symphony Orchestra is the oldest continually-operating community orchestra in the United States. It was founded in 1896 by Abbie N. Garland and Horace M. Pullen, its first director, and has not missed a season since....
in Maine, where he remained until he succumbed to cancer at the age of sixty-six. Following his death, the Symphony published a double Compact Disc set of various performances dating from 1989 to 1992. Included are Beethoven's Die Weihe des Hauses, Tchaikovsky's Roméo et Juliette, Sibelius' Symphony no.2 (his final performance with the ensemble), Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé, Schuman's New England Tripych, Balada's Fantasias sonoras, as well as his own composition, 3 Movements for Maine. His son, David Torkanowsky (from the first of his three marriages), is a jazz performer in New Orleans.
External links
- Werner Torkanowsky conducting an excerpt from The Consul, with Patricia Neway and Chester Ludgin (1960).