![]() |
Riccardo ChaillyItalian conductor
Date of Birth: 20.02.1953
Country: ![]() |
Content:
- Biography of Riccardo Chailly
- Early Career
- Conducting Career
- Leyipzig and Later Career
- Recording and Personal Life
Biography of Riccardo Chailly
Early Life and EducationRiccardo Chailly is an Italian conductor who began his career in the world of opera before branching out into symphonic music. He was born in Milan into a family with close ties to the music world. His father, in particular, taught him the fundamentals of musical composition. Chailly received formal training at the conservatories of Milan and Perugia, where he studied conducting under the renowned Franco Ferrara.

Early Career
Chailly did not initially aspire to become a conductor. In his youth, he even played the drums in a local rhythm and blues band. However, at the age of 20, he became an assistant to Claudio Abbado, a conductor at La Scala. Chailly made his debut at La Scala in 1978. From 1982 to 1988, he served as the principal conductor of the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra and also conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra from 1983 to 1986. During the period from 1986 to 1993, Chailly worked at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna.

Conducting Career
Chailly began his collaboration with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam in 1985. From 1988 to 2004, he served as the orchestra's principal conductor. During this time, the repertoire expanded to include a wide range of contemporary compositions, although Chailly did not neglect the classics. In 1995, he conducted the Mahler Festival, commemorating the 100th anniversary of Gustav Mahler's first concert at the Concertgebouw. Chailly also conducted operas, including successful performances with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam, such as the staging of Giuseppe Verdi's "Don Carlos."

Leyipzig and Later Career
In 2002, Chailly parted ways with the Amsterdam orchestra after being offered a two-year contract instead of the usual five-year contract during contract negotiations. In 1986, he first performed with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra at the Salzburg Festival, recommended by Herbert von Karajan. He became the 19th Kapellmeister of the orchestra shortly after their 2001 collaboration. Chailly officially became the principal conductor of the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig in August 2005, and he was also appointed as the music director of the Leipzig Opera. Initially, his contract was supposed to last until 2010, but it was extended to 2015 in 2008.
Recording and Personal Life
From 1999 to 2005, Chailly served as the music director of the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi. His performances with various orchestras have been recorded and distributed by the recording company "Decca." Chailly has recorded collections of symphonies by Brahms, Mahler, and Bruckner, as well as works by Stravinsky, Varese, and Hindemith. His recent recordings include Mendelssohn, Bach, Brahms, and Robert Schumann's symphonies arranged by Gustav Mahler. Chailly has been married twice and has a daughter from his first marriage and a stepson from his second marriage.