Gielen, Michael (1927– )

Austrian conductor and composer. He studied in Buenos Aires and Vienna, and worked at the Viennese Staatsoper 1951–60. He was principal conductor of the Stockholm Opera 1961–65, and in Cologne from 1965, where he gave the first performance of Zimmermann's opera Die Soldaten/The Soldiers. He led the Netherlands Opera from 1972 and was chief guest conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra from 1978. He gave frequent performances of modern music, especially of the Second Viennese School: he gave a concert performance of Schoenberg's Moses und Aron in Salzburg, which was later issued on record. He was musical director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra 1980–86, chief conductor of the SWF Radio Orchestra from 1986, and professor of conducting at the Salzburg Mozarteum in 1987.