Steuart John Rudolf Bedford (born 31 July 1939, London) is a British orchestral and opera conductor. He is the brother of composer David Bedford and a grandson of Liza Lehmann.
Bedford is particularly associated with the music of Benjamin Britten, and conducted the world premiere of Death in Venice in 1973. Bedford has also conducted Britten's other operas, and made an orchestral suite of music from Death in Venice. Between 1974 and 1998, he was one of the Artistic Directors of the Aldeburgh Festival. In 1989, he became joint artistic director with Oliver Knussen.[1] His other work in contemporary opera has included conducting the 1996 world premiere in Monte Carlo of Lowell Liebermann's The Picture of Dorian Gray,[2] and also the 1999 US premiere.[3]
Bedford has conducted several commercial recordings of Britten operas, including the first recording of Death in Venice (Decca), as well as The Turn of the Screw (Collins Classics, since reissued on Naxos)[4] He has also recorded his Death in Venice suite[5] and the major vocal cycles by Britten.[6]