Born May 28, 1883, in Kromĕříž died Mar. 16, 1961, in Beroun. Czech conductor and violinist. People’s Artist of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (1957).

Talich studied violin under O. Ševčík and conducting under A. Nikisch. In 1904 he made his conducting debut in Odessa, where he was concertmaster of the opera theater orchestra. From 1905 to 1907 he was a violin teacher and conductor in Tbilisi. He conducted in Ljubljana beginning in 1908 and later in Plzeñ. Talich conducted the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra during the periods 1919–31, 1934–41, and 1952–54, and he conducted the orchestra of the National Opera in Prague from 1935 to 1945. From 1949 to 1952 he conducted the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, which he founded, in Bratislava.

Talich’s performances were distinguished by profundity and insight, musicality, and a virtuoso conducting technique. Talich toured the USSR in the 1930’s.