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Georg Solti"My life is a constant journey but equally a constant study."Sir Georg Solti was one of the most distinguished pianists and conductors of his generation. He was born on 21 October 1912 in Budapest into a jewish family. His original name was Gyorgy Stern, which he changed to escape persecution during World War II. While studying at the Liszt Academy in Budapest, he studied with Bartok, Dohnanyi and Kodaly. He began his career as a repetiteur at the Budapest Opera. In 1937, he had to stand in as a repetiteur for rehearsals of the Magic Flute with Toscanini at the Salzburg Festival. His conducting debut came in Budapest in 1938, with Mozart's Nozze di Figaro. It was on the same night as the Anschluss in Vienna. As tensions mounted, Solti was advised to leave Hungary and escaped to Switzerland in 1939. In 1942, he won the 1st prize in the Geneva International Competition. At the end of the war, Solti travelled to bomb-flattened Germany, where new opportunities had opened up for a young ambitious musician to distinguish himself. In the aftermath of war and dictatorship, Solti conducted Beethoven's Fidelio in Munich and Stuttgart. He stayed on with the Bavarian State Opera for the next 15 years and in 1947 signed a contract with Decca which would last 50 years. In 1949, he conducted Rosenkavalier for Richard Strauss' 85th birthday in the presence of the composer. In 1952, he took over Frankfurt Opera and recorded the Ring Cycle. In 1961, Solti was appointed Music Director of the Royal Opera House. He went on to become in 1969 the Music Director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with whom he made over 100 recordings, in 1979 the Principle Conductor and Artistic Director of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and in 1992 the Music Director of the Salzburg Festival. For the 50th anniversary of the United Nationals, Solti founded the World Orchestra of Peace, which continues today. Solti died in France in 1997. Over his long prestigious career, Solti recorded more than 40 operas and made over 300 LPs. He never forgot those who helped him when he escaped to Switzerland during the war and as a result always helped other musicians at the state of their careers. In this way, he discovered and promoted a generation of singers such Kiri Te Kanawa, Frederica von Stade and Angela Gheorghiu. His memory continues in the little seaside town of Castiglione della Pescaia which was his most favourite retreat with his family." Solti Foundation Georg Solti website Georg Solti myspace |
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