Born 1942 in Latvia.
Studied percussion, choral and opera (pit) orchestra
conducting at the Latvian Academy of Music.
Hired by the Latvian National Opera (LNO) in 1962 and assumes various
duties: orchestra member, prompter, choral director and assistant to
conductor.
Under emergency circumstances, called to conduct Verdi’s “Il
Trovatore” (unrehearsed) in 1968; first radio and studio recordings
conducted that same year.
Contracted as conductor by LNO in 1970. Initial operas: Rachmaninoff’s
“Aleko”, Mozart’s “Cosi fan tutte”, Nikolai’s “The Merry
Wives of Windsor”, Rubinstein’s “The Demon”.
From 1972-1975: successful internship at Leningrad’s Kirov Opera and
Ballet Theatre where conducting duties include Verdi’s “La Traviata”,
“Il Trovatore”, Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor”, Tchaikovsky’s
“Eugene Onegin” and one-act ballet programs “Chopiniana” and
Glazunov’s “The Seasons”.
In 1973, called to replace colleague during LNO Ballet guest
performances in Mexico City (Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” and
Puni-Drigo’s “Notre Dame de Paris”, one-act ballets).
In
1975, appointed LNO Artistic Director and Head Conductor; first
productions include Tchaikovsky’s “The Sleeping Beauty” and (for
the first time in USSR history) Verdi’s “Macbeth”.
1977: the acclaimed production of “Gayane” in collaboration with
choreographer and ballet master Boris Eifman and composer Aram
Khachaturian; filmed by Special Events Entertainment and distributed to
television channels worldwide.
1980: triumphant LNO guest performances at Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre.
1981: In Ostrav (Czechoslovakia) conducts Mussorgsky’s “Boris
Godunov”.
LNO Opera and Ballet company repertory includes Stravinsky’s “Oedipus
Rex”, Bartok’s “Duke Bluebeard’s Castle”, Donizetti’s “L’Elisir
d’ amore”, Gounod’s “Faust”, Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin”,
Strauss’ “Salome”.
Tenure at LNO (until 1987) featured a wide and varied repertory and a
new generation of singers, many of whom now work in opera companies
abroad.
1987 and 1988 heads the All-Union Cello and Glinka Vocalist
Competitions.
1989 conducts Verdi’s “Don Carlos” at Leningrad’s Maly Opera and
Ballet Theatre.
1990-1994: conductor at St. Petersburg’s Maryinsky Opera and Ballet
Theatre where he conducts Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet”, Delibes
“Coppelia”, Borodin’s “Prince Igor”, Verdi’s “Othello”,
“Aida”, “La Traviata” and “Il Trovatore”, Donizetti’s “Lucia
di Lammermoor”, “Don Pasquale”, Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker”,
Adam’s “Giselle”.
NVC records Prokofiev’s “The Stone Flower” and Delibes’ “Coppelia”,
the latter receiving positive reviews from “Teldec” critics in
England.
August 1991: tours Italy with Mstislav Rostropovich.
Tours France with ballet company, Italy with orchestra.
In 1994, re-appointed Head Conductor and Artistic Director at the LNO.
Productions of note: Puccini’s “la Boheme”, “Tosca” and
Tchaikovsky’s “Iolanta”.
Has toured extensively with LNO ballet and opera companies: France,
Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Finland, England, Holland,
Belgium.
From year 2000 - guest conductor of Moscow Bolshoi Theatre.
1995 in Oslo conducts
Tchaikovsky’s opera “Eugene Onegin” and Prokofiev’s ballet “Romeo
and Juliet” in 1997.
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