Thomas Schippers

During the late 1950s and early 1960s Schippers had a highly distinguished career in both America and Europe, but was slightly overshadowed in the public eye by Leonard Bernstein. He co-founded the Spoleto Festival with Menotti, serving as an artistic director of the Festival from 1958 to 1975; conducted frequently in Italy (where he was greatly admired for the vigour as well as sensitivity of his interpretations), especially at La Scala, Milan, and for Italian radio: many of these performances have been subsequently released on disc. He toured the USSR with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in 1959 and 1976, conducted a new production of Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at the Bayreuth Festival in 1963, and in 1966 led the Metropolitan Opera’s tour to Europe. He also conducted its opening night production at Lincoln Center of Samuel Barber’s Antony and Cleopatra. During 1970 and 1971 Schippers served as chief conductor of the Orchestra of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome. His most significant appointment came in 1970 when he became chief conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in succession to Max Rudolf, a colleague from the Met.

Having already lost his young wife to cancer in 1973, Schippers himself succumbed to lung cancer just four years later, leaving his estate to the Cincinnati Orchestra. Earl Rivers of the Cincinnati Conservatory (of which Schippers was a faculty member from 1972 to 1977) has given a vivid description of him: ‘He had a combination of fine technique, musicianship and understanding of style…and a demeanour and elegance that reminded you of JFK.’ An imposing figure on the podium, Schippers was an excellent conductor of opera, as his numerous studio and live recordings testify. He possessed a sure instinct for the dramatic moment, as well as being a fine all-round musician.