Davis, Colin (1927– )

English conductor. He studied at the Royal College of Music, London, and from 1957 to 1959 he was assistant conductor of the BBC Scottish Orchestra, becoming principal conductor at Sadler's Wells in 1961; he was also their musical director 1959–65. He made his US debut with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1960. From 1967 to 1971 he was principal conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. He was musical director at the Royal opera House, Covent Garden, London, 1971–86 and principal guest conductor at the Boston Symphony Orchestra 1972–83. He made his New York Metropolitan Opera House debut in 1967 (with Peter Grimes). He was the first Briton to conduct at Bayreuth (leading Tannhäuser in 1977). he led the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra 1983–92, and was principal conductor at the London Symphony Orchestra from 1995. He was admired in Mozart, Berlioz, Stravinsky, and Tippett, and conducted first performances of The Knot Garden (1970), The Ice Break (1977) and The Mask of Time (1984). he was knighted in 1980.