Chung, Myung-Whun (1953– )

Korean-born US conductor. He studied at Juilliard and was associate conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic 1978–81. He conducted in Europe from 1981, with the Berlin, Munich, and Israel Philharmonic Orchestras and the major London orchestras. He was musical director of the Saarland Radio Symphony Orchestra 1984–90, and guest conductor in the USA with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Cleveland and Chicago Orchestras. His New York Metropolitan Opera House debut was in 1986, with Simon Boccanegra, and he has led Boris Godunov, Idomeneo, and The Invisible City of Kitezh at Florence. In 1990 he was appointed musical director of the Opéra Bastille, in Paris, opening the new house with Les Troyens/The Trojans, but left in controversial circumstances in 1994, the year he conducted the premiere of Messiaen's Concert à quatre. He was formerly a concert pianist, and has played in a trio with his sisters Kyung-Wha Chung and Myung-Wha Chung.