Kleiber, Carlos

Kleiber, Carlos, outstanding German-born Austrian conductor, son of Erich Kleiber; b. Berlin, July 3, 1930. He left Nazi Germany with his parents in 1935, eventually settling in South America in 1940. He evinced an early interest in music, but his father opposed it as a career; after studying chemistry in Zürich (1949–50), he turned decisively to music and completed his training in Buenos Aires. In 1952 he became a répétiteur and stage assistant at the Theater am Gärtnerplatz in Munich, making his conducting debut in 1954 with Millöcker’s Gasparone in Potsdam, where he was active until becoming a répétiteur (1956) and conductor (1958) at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düs seldorf. After conducting at the Zürich Opera (1964–66), he served as 1^st conductor at the Württemberg State Theater in Stuttgart (1966–68). From 1968 to 1978 he conducted at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. In 1966 he made his British debut conducting Wozzeck at the Edinburgh Festival; he led performances of Tristan und Isolde for his first appearances at the Vienna State Opera in 1973 and at the Bayreuth Festival in 1974, the year in which he made his first appearances at London’s Covent Garden and Milan’s La Scala with Der Rosenkavalier. On Sept. 8, 1977, he made his U.S. debut conducting Otello at the San Francisco Opera. His first appearance with a U.S. orch. came in 1978, when he conducted the Chicago Sym. Orch. In 1979 he conducted the Vienna Phil, and in 1982 the Berlin Phil. On Jan. 22, 1988, he made his Metropolitan Opera debut in N.Y. conducting La Bohème. In 1989 and 1992 he conducted the New Year’s Day Concert of the Vienna Phil, with noteworthy elan. He became a naturalized Austrian citizen in 1980. Kleiber has been accorded accolades from critics, audiences, and his fellow musicians. His brilliant performances reflect his unreserved commitment to the score at hand, his authority, and his mastery of technique. His infrequent appearances, combined with his passion for perfection, have made him a legendary figure among the world’s contemporary podium celebrities.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire