Gennady Nikolayevich Rozhdestvensky (Генна́дий Никола́евич Рожде́ственский) (born May 4, 1931) is a Russian conductor.
Biography
Rozhdestvensky was born in Moscow to musician parents as Gennady Nikolayevich Anosov, but adopted his mother's maiden name in its masculine form for his professional career. He studied conducting with his father Nikolai Anosov at the Moscow Conservatory and piano with Lev Oborin. Already known for having conducted Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker ballet at the Bolshoi Theatre at the age of 20, he quickly established his reputation. He premiered many works of Soviet composers, including Edison Denisov's Le soleil des Incas (Sun of the Incas) (1964),[1] as well as giving the Russian premiere of Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream and the Western premiere of Dmitri Shostakovich's Fourth Symphony at the 1962 Edinburgh Festival. He became general artistic director of the Bolshoi Theatre in 2000, and in 2001 conducted the world premiere of the original version of Sergei Prokofiev's opera The Gambler.[2] Not long afterwards he resigned, citing desertion by singers, production problems and hostile coverage by the Moscow press.[3]
In November 2008, Rozhdestvensky withdrew from scheduled performances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. It was later reported by the Boston Globe that, although rehearsals were going well, he was insulted by the marketing for the concert. Both the posters outside the hall, which listed the cello soloist, Lynn Harrell, more prominently, and the subscription brochure, which did not include the maestro in a section on prominent guest conductors, were unacceptable to him.[3] The BSO released a statement regretting his cancellation.[3] He was replaced by BSO assistant conductor Julian Kuerti.[3]
Among the works dedicated to Rozhdestvensky is Sofia Gubaidulina's symphony Stimmen... Verstummen....
Conducting
Rozhdestvensky is considered a versatile conductor and a highly cultured musician with a supple stick technique. In moulding his interpretations, he gives a clear idea of the structural outlines and emotional content of a piece, combined with a performing style which melds logic, intuition and spontaneity.[4] He has been praised for his efficient rehearsals which he keeps short, and is noted for his habit of walking around the stage while conducting and not using a podium, even at concerts.
Editing
He edited the second volume of the collected works of Shostakovich published in 1984, including the Symphony No. 3 and Symphony No. 4.
Orchestra tenures
With the USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra he recorded all the symphonies of Dmitri Shostakovich, Alexander Glazunov, Anton Bruckner, Alfred Schnittke, Arthur Honegger, and Ralph Vaughan Williams.
He has also conducted many of the world's greatest orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and the London Symphony Orchestra.
Personal life
In 1969 he married the pianist Viktoria Postnikova.
References
Notes
External links
