Richter, Hans (1843-1916)

Austro-Hungarian conductor. He conducted the first performance of Wagner's Ring at Bayreuth in 1876, and was conductor of the Hallé Orchestra, Manchester, 1900-11. He gave the first performances of Brahms' second and third symphonies, Bruckner's first, third, fourth, and eighth symphonies, and Elgar's Enigma Variations and first symphony. By his unfailing industry over a long period, Richter set new standards for career conductors to follow.

He studied in Vienna, where he played horn at the Kärntnertortheater 1862-66. As assistant to Wagner, he conducted operas at Budapest and Vienna. He organized and played the trumpet in the private premiere of the Siegfried Idyll at Triebschen in 1870, and was the first to conduct Wagner's Ring at Bayreuth in 1876. He conducted at the Birmingham Festival 1885-1909, including the 1900 first performance of The Dream of Gerontius, and conducted much in London 1877-1910, notably the first Ring cycles in English, at Covent Garden in 1908. At Drury Lane he gave the British premieres of Tristan and Die Meistersinger 1882.