Levi, Hermann (1839-1900)

German conductor. He conducted the first performance of Wagner's Parsifal at Bayreuth, Germany; at first, Wagner objected that a Jew should conduct what was essentially a Christian opera, but nevertheless accepted him as ‘the ideal Parsifal conductor’. He continued at Bayreuth until 1894, and conducted at Wagner's funeral.

He studied with Vinzenz Lachner in Munich and at the Leipzig Conservatory. After various appointments he became director of the Munich court theatre 1872-96, where he conducted his own editions of Mozart's operas.