Schønwandt, Michael (1953– )

Danish conductor. He studied at Copenhagen University and at the Royal Academy of Music, London (1975–77). He made his concert debut at Copenhagen (1977), and his operatic debut at the Royal Danish Opera (1978). He led Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi/The Capulets and Montagues in London at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (1984), and the French version of Verdi's Don Carlos at San Francisco (1992). He was principal guest conductor at the Monnaie, Brussels (1984–87), and appeared with the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1989. His recordings include Kuhlau's Lulu, the symphonies of Gade, and Berlioz's Grande Messe des Mortes/Requiem.