Masur, Kurt (1927– )

German conductor. He was music director of the New York Philharmonic in 1991–2002. His speciality is a Romantic and early 20th-century repertoire, particularly Felix Mendelssohn, Franz Liszt, Max Bruch, and Sergei Prokofiev.

He was conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra 1955–58 and 1967–72, music director of the Mecklenburg State Theatre 1958–60, and music director of the Comic Opera in Berlin 1960–64. He made his London debut in 1973 with the New Philharmonia. He was prominent in the political campaigning that took place prior to German unification. He served as principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra 2000–07 and music director of the Orchestre National de France 2002–08.