Rafael Kubelík

Jeronym Rafael Kubelik ( born June 29, 1914 on Castle Horskyfeld in Býchory in Bohemia; † August 11, 1996 in Chestnut Tree, Canton of Lucerne ) was a Swiss conductor and composer of Czech origin.

Life

Rafael Kubelik was the son of the violinist January Kubelík. Along with his first wife Ludmila Bertlová he left his homeland in 1948 and initially worked for several years in the United States. In 1973, he acquired Swiss citizenship. From 1961 to 1979 he was chief conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.

From 1955 to 1958 Kubelik was the Chief Administrator of the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden in London. He conducted the world premiere in 1957 an abridged version of the opera Les Troyens by Hector Berlioz, which was rejected in 1858 by the Opéra in Paris.

Kubelik was especially true as a specialist in Czech composers, with his interpretations of compositions by Dvořák and Janáček have set standards. Also for the work of Gustav Mahler he sat on, and began in the sixties, the first with a complete recording of his symphonies on record ( he was, however, " obsolete " in this endeavor by Leonard Bernstein, whose total recording started later was completed first ).

1983 Kubelík was awarded the Léonie Sonning Music Prize. In 1984 he retired from directing, to compose yet.

After the Velvet Revolution, he returned back in 1990 at the invitation of Václav Havel to Prague, there to conduct the opening concert of the " Prague Spring ", Má Vlast by Bedrich Smetana.

Rafael Kubelik is interred in the Vyšehrad cemetery in Prague.

Operas

  • Veronika; UA April 19, 1947 Brno ( Brno ) on the biblical subject
  • Daybreak; UA 1958
  • Cornelia Faroli; UA 1972 Augsburg
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