Lewis, Henry (1932– )

US conductor. He founded the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and toured with it to Europe in 1963. In 1972 he made his New York Metropolitan debut with La Bohème, and was the first black conductor to perform there; he has returned for Carmen, Un ballo in maschera, Le Prophète, and Gounod's Roméo. He conducted Simon Boccanegra with the Scottish Opera in 1978, and was with the Hamburg Opera from 1983, conducting performances of Les Troyens, Semiramide, and Turandot. He became chief conductor of the Dutch Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1989.

He studied at University College of Los Angeles and played the double bass with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra from 1948. He conducted the US 7th Army Symphony Orchestra overseas 1955–57. He was music director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra 1968–76.