John Mauceri

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John Mauceri (born 1945, New York) is an American conductor, producer and composer for theatre, opera and television. He was a protege of Leonard Bernstein.[1]

Mauceri is the only American ever to have held music directorships of opera houses in either Britain or Italy. He was music director of the Teatro Regio in Turin for three years. From 1987 to 1993, he was music director of Scottish Opera.

His American posts include the music directorship of Pittsburgh Opera from 2000 to 2006. He was principal conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra from 1991 to 2006. He currently holds the tile of Founding Director of the orchestra. In 2007, he was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame alongside Placido Domingo.

In May 2006, the University of North Carolina named Mauceri as the seventh Chancellor of the North Carolina School of the Arts. He assumed the post on 1 July 2006, and Pittsburgh Opera released Mauceri early from his contract to allow him to take up this post.[2]

Mauceri's commercial recordings include George Gershwin's Strike Up The Band, for Nonesuch. In 2006, Mauceri conducted the Nashville Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in a concert performance of George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess that featured cuts and other changes that Gershwin himself had made in the opera during rehearsals leading up to its premiere by the Theatre Guild. This performance was released on CD, the first recording of the opera in this version.[3]

In other media, Mauceri had a small role as the character of Claude Maginot in 2002's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. He appeared briefly as himself in the second episode of the Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip TV series, conducting the fictional "West Coast Philharmonic."

[edit] References

  1. ^ Robert Croan. "Opera's music director to lead North Carolina School of the Arts", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 13 May 2006. Retrieved on 2007-10-06. 
  2. ^ Mark Kanny. "Pittsburgh Opera music director to resign", Pittsburgh Tribune Review, 13 May 2006. Retrieved on 2007-10-06. 
  3. ^ Mark Kanny. "Pittsburgh Opera stronger for Mauceri's leadership", Pittsburgh Tribune Review, 13 May 2006. Retrieved on 2007-10-06. 

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Alexander Gibson
Music Director, Scottish Opera
1987–1993
Succeeded by
Richard Armstrong
Preceded by
(not known)
Music Director, Pittsburgh Opera
2000–2006
Succeeded by
Antony Walker
Preceded by
none
Principal Conductor, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
1991–2006
Succeeded by
none yet named