Search - Igor Stravinsky, Yuri Simonov, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra :: Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring; The Firebird

Yuri Simonov was born in Saratov and studied at the Leningrad Conservatoire with Rabinovich. He assisted Mravinsky at the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, and made his debut at the Leningrad Conservatoire conducting The Mermaid by Dargomizhsky. Winning first prize in the Santa Cecilia Conductors' Competition in Rome in 1968, he was invited to make his debut at the Bolshoi Opera conducting Aïda in 1969, and was almost immediately appointed Chief Conductor--the youngest in their history--and, with his appointment ending only in 1985, the longest serving. He has conducted the Leningrad Philharmonic, Moscow Philharmonic, USSR State Orchestra, Moscow Radio Orchestra, and Philharmonic Orchestra of Kiev, Minsk, and Riga a regular basis, including foreign tours. In 1982 he made his debut with Western operatic company, conducting Eugene Onegin at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and also made his British concert debut, conducting three concerts with the London Symphony Orchestra. Since then, he has given numerous concerts with the LSO in London and on tour, and has conducted a Tchaikovsky cycle with them at the Barbican Hall.