Welser-Möst, Franz (1960– )

Austrian conductor. He studied in Munich and was principal conductor of the Austrian Youth Orchestra (1979–85), conducting Bruckner's 5th Symphony in the Vienna Musikverein. He made his Salzburg debut in 1985. He first performed in England in 1986, becoming the principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra (1990–95). He made his opera debut with Rossini's L'italiana in Algeri at the Vienna Staatsoper, in 1986. His US debut was made with the St Louis Symphony Orchestra, in 1989. He conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra in Tristan und Isolde (concert performance, 1993) and Peter Grimes at Glyndebourne (1994). He was music director of the Zurich Opera from 1996.