Waart, Edo de (1941– )

Dutch conductor. He was appointed principal oboe of the Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1963. In 1964 he won the Mitropoulos conducting competition and became assistant conductor of the Concertgebouw in 1966, directing a US tour in 1967. He founded the Netherlands Wind Ensemble. From 1967 he was guest conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra of which he was chief conductor between 1973 and 1979. He appeared at the Santa Fe Opera Festival in 1971, and in 1976 made his London debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, with Ariadne auf Naxos. Between 1977 and 1985 he appeared with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, and was music director of the orchestra from 1977.