Weingartner, Felix Von

Born June 2, 1863, in Zadar, Croatia; died May 7, 1942, in Winterthur. Austrian conductor, composer, and writer on music.

Weingartner received his musical education at the Graz and Leipzig conservatories (1881-83). He made his debut as a conductor in 1883. After advanced studies with Liszt in Weimar, Weingartner was an opera and concert conductor in many German cities from 1884 to 1903 and 1912 to 1919. From 1908 he lived in Vienna. He was director of the Vienna Court Opera until 1911, director of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra until 1927, and director of the Vienna Volksoper from 1919 to 1924. From 1927 until 1933 he was director of the conservatory and conductor in Basel. He gave performances in many countries, including the Soviet Union. (He had come to Russia for the first time in the 1890’s.)

Weingartner was one of the greatest representatives of the German school of conductors. His art was distinguished by classical perfection and the brilliant manifestation of intellectual principles. He was an outstanding interpreter of the music of Beethoven, Berlioz, Wagner, Tchaikovsky, and Borodin. Weingartner wrote works of music, including eight operas and seven symphonies.