October 13, 2011
Israeli composer Daniel Barenboim is named the musical director of the renowned La Scala Opera House in Milan, Italy.
Born in Buenos Aires in 1942, Barenboim moved to Israel in 1952 with his family. Beginning to study classical music and the art of conducting at 14, he was quickly recognized as a child prodigy by German conductor and composer Wilhelm Furtwangler, an influential figure who played a pivotal role in his early education and career. A skilled pianist, Barenboim made his conducting debut in 1966 in London, which established him as a premiere maestro in demand all over the globe.
After making his operatic debut in 1973 with a performance of Mozart’s “Don Giovani,” Barenboim’s prestige as a top-tier classical conductor was reinforced with the broadening of his repertoire. He was appointed the musical director for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, a position he held until 2006. Barenboim turned down the position of the New York Philharmonic’s music director in 2009 before accepting the La Scala position two years later.
