Vincent La Selva
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Vincent La Selva (b. September 17, 1929 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American conductor. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he began performing at the age of 8, and by the age of 12, he was conducting student performances. He received his bachelor's degree from the Juilliard School, where he has served on the faculty since 1969. After his graduation from Juilliard, he served in the United States Army, where he conducted the First Army band at Fort Jay on Governor's Island.
La Selva founded the New York Grand Opera Company in 1973. Since 1974, he has performed complete grand operas for free to the public in New York City's Central Park. His idea of presenting free productions began in 1954, when he founded the Xavier Symphony Society, made up of volunteer performers. Gian-Carlo Menotti was so taken by La Selva's performance of The Saint of Bleeker Street, that Menotti had La Selva perform the piece at New York's City Opera. This led to his being hired to conduct the City Opera's orchestra full-time.
La Selva has conducted the New Jersey Symphony, the Symphony of the Air, the Juilliard Symphony, the Brno State Philharmonic and the Bern Symphony.
In 1995 the President of Italy knighted La Selva as a "Cavaliere" in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic for his performances of Giuseppe Verdi works. La Selva has been called the greatest conductor of Verdi in the world today." [1]
La Selva is a recipient of the Handel Medallion for his contributions to the cultural life of New York City.
