Kertész, István (1929–1973)

Hungarian conductor. Zoltan Kodály was among his teachers. After gaining experience at the Budapest Opera, he left Hungary during the 1956 uprising. He was musical director of the Cologne Opera, Germany, from 1964 until his death and brought the company to London, England, in 1969.

His UK debut was with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in 1960; he was principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra 1965–68. He led Verdi's Un ballo in maschera at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, in 1966. He is noted for his interpretations of Mozart and Dvořák, and was also heard in Benjamin Britten, Prokofiev, Bartók, Stravinsky, and Henze. He drowned while swimming near Tel Aviv, Israel.