Downes, Edward (1924– )

English conductor. He studied at the Royal College of Music, London, and with Scherchen. He joined the staff of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, in 1951, and in 1963 conducted the first stage production in Britain of Shostakovich's Katerina Izmaylova. In 1967 he gave the first post-war Ring cycle by a British conductor; he also led the first performances of Bennett's Victory (1970) and Maxwell Davies's Taverner (1972). He conducted the first complete performances of Wagner's Die Feen, Das Liebesverbot, and Rienzi for the BBC in the 1970s. He gave War and Peace on the opening night of the Sydney Opera House in 1973, and remained with Australian Opera until 1976. He was principal conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra 1980–91, and at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 1991. He was knighted in 1991.