Life and career André Cluytens

1 life , career

1.1 belgium
1.2 france
1.3 international career

life , career
belgium

cluytens born in antwerp musical family: paternal grandfather, father , uncles professional musicians. mother soprano @ opera, , after died in 1906 father married singer. entered royal conservatoire of antwerp @ age of 9, graduating @ 16 first prizes in harmony , counterpoint, , piano. father alphonse, conductor of théâtre royal français opera house, engaged son chorusmaster , coach. joined father @ opera, conducting productions there, making debut on 14 december 1926 les pêcheurs de perles. in january 1927 married germaine gilson, soprano soloist in troupe of théâtre royal français; had 1 son, michel (1943–69). promoted house conductor 1927–28 season, on next 5 years cluytens built broad opera (and ballet) repertoire in antwerp: mireille, madama butterfly, la traviata, la fille du régiment, la basoche, ma mère l oye, manon, la poupée de nuremberg, resurrection, lucia di lammermoor, werther, jeux, le domino noir, le voyage en chine, les huguenots, schwanda bagpiper, salome , angélique.

france

in 1932, became principal conductor @ théâtre du capitole of toulouse, adding further repertoire, including operas such boris godunov, lohengrin, ernani, tannhäuser, otello, die walküre , marriage of figaro several operettas. in 1935 moved opéra national de lyon principal conductor, adding more wagner repertoire (das rheingold , siegfried) , became musical director there in 1942.

cluytens volunteered serve in french army in september 1939 , following medical examination engaged french combatant, although never saw action; became french citizen on 14 may 1940. following liberation of france, complaints bordeaux concerning alleged collaboration nazi authorities in city led him being sentenced part of épuration; after appeal, on 24 may 1946 sentence revoked.

in 1947, appointed musical director @ opéra-comique, conducted 40 works between 1947–1953, including premieres of la carosse du saint sacrement, marion , le oui des jeunes filles. well-regarded work @ opéra-comique included successful renewal of tales of hoffmann in fresh production in april 1948; francis poulenc delighted part in recording opéra-comique forces of les mamelles de tirésias. notable revival after 180 years of blaise le savetier (which brought salle favart repertoire curtain-raiser la boheme, werther , la traviata), , french premiere of rake s progress in june 1953. revival of manon highly praised – , representative of paris critics saw successful tenure @ opéra-comique; oversaw many all-ravel evenings. cluytens resigned opéra-comique in december 1953 , conducted last performance there (manon) on 30 september 1954. became chevalier of légion d honneur in 1953.

having made debut paris conservatoire orchestra on 20 december 1942, succeeded charles munch in 1949 principal conductor, post held until 1960. contract required him conduct half of orchestra s concerts each season; led them on foreign tours. cluytens due conduct first concert given alfred cortot in paris after disgrace vichy activities, in 1947; in event concerto dropped , cluytens refused acknowledge cortot , orchestra left stage cortot play solo. cluytens conducted paris conservatoire orchestra in beethoven symphony cycle , on tour of japan in 1964, continuing on own conduct sydney symphony orchestra, south australian symphony orchestra, west australian symphony orchestra, victorian symphony orchestra , queensland symphony orchestra july year.

international career

he led famous performance of wagner s opera tannhäuser @ bayreuth festival on 23 july 1955, being first conductor of french nationality conduct @ bayreuth (and third non-german conduct there, after toscanini , de sabata). other work @ bayreuth 1965 consisted of die meistersinger von nürnberg (1956, 1957, 1958), parsifal (1957, 1965) , lohengrin (1958), returning tannhäuser in 1965. according wolfgang wagner, cluytens universally liked amiable, open-minded attitude ; hans knappertsbusch delighted when cluytens requested older conductor introduce him parsifal.

he introduce régine crespin wieland wagner, led engagements @ bayreuth 1958. having conducted ring cycle in lyon in 1959, cluytens conducted 3 cycles @ la scala, milan in 1963 (with birgit nilsson , hans hotter).

cluytens made debut vienna philharmonic orchestra in 1948, , later toured uk, , canada orchestra in 1956. worked berlin philharmonic guest conductor. cluytens well-versed in german repertoire, , noted authoritative interpretations of ravel , other modern french composers.

from 1964 had close relationship anja silja, whom had met in bayreuth , first conducted in salome @ paris opera. death @ age of 62 occurred coincident reputation emerging not conductor of french classics, interpreter of standard german/austrian repertoire.

cluytens died in 1967 @ neuilly-sur-seine, france. anja silja purchased former home in paris , has resided there since.