Abbado, Claudio (1933-2014), was an internationally known Italian symphony orchestra and opera conductor. Abbado served as music director of several major orchestras and opera companies in Europe.
Abbado was born on June 26, 1933, in Milan, Italy. He studied piano with his father, and at the Milan Conservatory. He then studied conducting at the Vienna Academy of Music. Abbado won two prestigious international conducting competitions in 1958 and 1963. By the mid-1960’s, he had become recognized as one of the leading conductors of his generation.
In 1968, Abbado became principal conductor of the La Scala opera in Milan. He served as the institution’s music director from 1971 to 1986. He won praise for raising the artistic standards of the La Scala orchestra both in opera and in concert performances. Abbado was principal conductor for the London Symphony Orchestra from 1979 to 1988. He was also music director for the Vienna State Opera from 1986 to 1991.
Abbado served as artistic director and principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra from 1989 to 2002. Over the years, Abbado established several new orchestras and music festivals, including the Lucerne Festival Orchestra in Switzerland in 2003. He was especially interested in training young musicians. Abbado died on Jan. 20, 2014.
