Constantin Silvestri

Constantin Silvestri ( born May 31, 1913 in Bucharest, † February 23, 1969 in London) was a Romanian conductor and composer.

Life

Constantin Silvestri received early training on the piano. He studied at the Conservatory in Targu Mures and at the Bucharest Conservatory, among others, the composer Mihail Jora and the pianist Florica Musicescu.

From 1930 Silvestri conducting engagements had at Radio Orchestra Naţională 1935 he conducted for the first time the Opera Naţională Bucureşti. After the Second World War, he replaced the fallen into political disfavor George Georgescu at the Bucharest Philharmonic. At the Conservatory, he established a conducting class, which he headed from 1948 to 1956. Among the students were Sergiu Comissiona, Marius Constant and Anatol Vieru. Still in 1958 he led George Enescu's opera Oedipe the Romanian premiere, but in the following year he emigrated, first to Paris.

Silvestri has signed on as guest conductor with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra. In 1961 he received the post of principal conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and in 1967 the British citizenship. Silvestri died of cancer.

Silvestri composed over 40 works for voice, for chamber ensemble and for orchestra.