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Revision as of 06:22, 27 July 2009
Jiří Bělohlávek (born 24 February 1946) is a Czech conductor. His father was a barrister and judge.[1] In his youth, he studied the cello with Milos Sádlo.[2] Bělohlávek is a graduate of the Prague Conservatory and Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. He also studied conducting with Sergiu Celibidache for two years.[3]
Career in Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic
Bělohlávek won the Czech National Conducting Competition in 1970. He later served as an assistant conductor at the Czech Philharmonic for 2 years.[4] From 1972 to 1978 he was associated with the Brno Philharmonic, taking it on tours of Austria, Germany and the United States. From 1977 to 1989, he was chief conductor of the Prague Symphony Orchestra.
Bělohlávek became chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic in 1990. However, in 1991, the orchestra reorganized and controversially voted to appoint Gerd Albrecht its new principal conductor to replace Bělohlávek. Instead of remaining until Albrecht's accession, Bělohlávek resigned from the Czech Philharmonic in 1992.[5] He subsequently founded the Prague Philharmonia (Pražskou komorní filharmonii) in 1993, after the Czech Ministry of Defence had offered funding for training 40 young musicians. Bělohlávek had auditioned musicians for the orchestra, but the ministry withdrew its funding the next year. He subsequently secured private funding for the orchestra, and served as its first music director.[3] Since the orchestra's public debut in 1994, he has recorded and performed in concerts worldwide with the orchestra.[6] He conducted the Prague Philharmonia at its first BBC Proms appearance in 2004, in a televised performance.[7] In 2005, he relinquished his post with the Prague Philharmonia, and now is the orchestra's conductor laureate.
In 1997, Bělohlávek became a professor of conducting at the Academy of Music, Prague. He is also currently chairman of the Prague Spring International Music Festival.
Career outside the Czech Republic
From 1995-2000, Bělohlávek was principal guest conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBC SO). In February 2005, he was named its twelfth chief conductor, effective July 2006, with an initial contract of 3 years.[8] [9] Bělohlávek is the first past BBC SO principal guest conductor to be named chief conductor of the BBC SO.[10] His tenure with the BBC SO began with the First Night of the 2006 Proms.[11] He also conducted both the First Night[12] and Last Night[13] of the 2007 Proms, the first conductor of the Last Night who is not a native English speaker[10]. In September 2007, Bělohlávek extended his contract with the BBC Symphony to 2012.[14] [15]
In opera, Bělohlávek has conducted Jenůfa and Tristan und Isolde at Glyndebourne Opera.[16] He made his Metropolitan Opera (Met) debut on December 17, 2004 conducting Káťa Kabanová, with Karita Mattila in the title role. He returned to the Met in January and February 2007 for Jenůfa and again in February and March 2009 for Eugene Onegin and Rusalka.
Bělohlávek has recorded for the Supraphon[17], Chandos, harmonia mundi[18], and Warner Classics[19] labels.
References
- ^ Norman Lebrecht (2006-07-10). "The man who's changing the sound of the BBC". The Scotsman. Retrieved 2009-03-06.
- ^ "Miloš Sádlo (obituary)". The Telegraph. 23 October 2003. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
- ^ a b Tim Ashley (2001-03-01). "The sound of freedom". The Guardian. Retrieved 2009-04-25.
- ^ Allan Kozinn (11 October 1990). "Czech Philharmonic With Its New Leader". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-10-25.
- ^ John Rockwell (30 December 1992). "Czech Philharmonic Faces Perilous Times In Dividing Country". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-10-25.
- ^ Geoffrey Norris (8 June 2006). "I've never been to the Last Night". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
- ^ Erica Jeal (24 July 2004). "Prague Philharmonia (review of Prom 4, 2004)". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
- ^ "Jirí Belohlávek appointed Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra" (Press release). BBC Press Office. 1 February 2005. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- ^ Geoffrey Norris (2 Feb 2005). "I'm here to raise the standard". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
- ^ a b Andrew Clark (6 July 2007). "The quiet cosmopolitan". Financial Times. Retrieved 2007-09-28.
- ^ Tom Service (17 July 2006). "BBCSO/Belohlavek". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
- ^ Erica Jeal (16 July 2007). "BBCSO/Belohlavek (review of Prom 1, 2007)". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
- ^ Tim Ashley (10 September 2007). "Prom 72". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
- ^ Tom Service (6 September 2007). "'If I understand the heckles, I'll respond'". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-09-08.
- ^ Geoffrey Norris (10 September 2007). "BBC Proms 2007: Last Night of the Proms". Telegraph. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
- ^ Charlotte Higgins (2 February 2005). "'Grumpy? What's that?'". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-09-28.
- ^ Andrew Clements (2 April 2004). "Dvorak: The Stubborn Lovers: Kloubova/ Brezina/ Sykorova/ Belacek/ Janal/ Prague Philharmonia/ Belohlavek". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
- ^ Andrew Clements (19 August 2005). "Mozart: Symphonies Nos 35 & 36, Prague Philharmonia/ Belohlavek". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
- ^ Andrew Clements (3 November 2006). "Dvorak: Symphonies Nos 5 & 6; Scherzo Capriccioso; The Hero's Song, BBCSO/ Belohlavek". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
