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Riccardo Chailly

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"Chailly" redirects here. For others with the surname, see Chailly (surname). For neighbourhood in Lausanne, see Chailly (Switzerland).
Chailly on 13 August 1986 conducting the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Riccardo Chailly OMRI (Italian pronunciation: [rikˈkardo ʃʃaˈji], French: [ʃɑji]; born 20 February 1953) is an Italian conductor. He is currently principal conductor of La Scala since 2017, and music director since 2015. Prior to this, he held chief conducting positions at the Gewandhausorchester (2005–2016); the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (1988–2004); the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra (1982–1988); and the Teatro Comunale of Bologna (1986–1993). He was also the first musical director of the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi (1999–2005) and principal guest conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra (1983–1986). Among the world's leading conductors, in a 2015 Bachtrack poll, he was ranked by music critics as the world's best living conductor.[1]

Born in Milan, Chailly first studied composition with his father, Luciano Chailly, in his youth. He continued with composition at the conservatories in Milan and Perugia, but later shifted to conducting under Piero Guarino [it] and Franco Ferrara. He made his conducting debut at La Scala in 1978 with Massenet's Werther, where he had been assistant director to Claudio Abbado since 1973. Upon becoming principal conductor at the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, he embarked on performing standard symphonic works—particularly Bruckner and Mahler—but expanded the orchestra's previously minuscule 20th century and contemporary repertoire. Long associated with the Gewandhausorchester, he is credited with having significantly raised their international status. He has also been the music director of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra since 2016, with a contract until 2026. For 30 years he has recorded exclusively with Decca, and recordings with the Gewandhausorchester have been particularly acclaimed.[2]

Biography

Early life

Chailly was born in Milan into a musical family of Romagnol and French descent.[3] He studied composition with his father, Luciano Chailly.[4] His sister is the harpist Cecilia Chailly.

Chailly studied composition at the music conservatories in Milan and Perugia. He later switched to conducting, studying with both Piero Guarino [it] and Franco Ferrara. In his youth, Chailly also played the drums in a rhythm-and-blues band.[5][2]

At age 20, Chailly became assistant conductor to Claudio Abbado at La Scala, where he made his conducting debut in 1978 with Werther by Jules Massenet. From 1982 to 1988, Chailly was chief conductor of the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra and from 1983 to 1986 principal guest conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. From 1986 to 1993, he led the Teatro Comunale of Bologna.[2]

Career

Chailly made his debut with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam in 1985. From 1988 to 2004, Chailly was chief conductor of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (RCO), where he dedicated himself to performances of the standard symphonic tradition, notably Anton Bruckner and Gustav Mahler, with which the orchestra made its name but also significantly broadened the repertoire with 20th century and contemporary music.[6][7] Among notable projects, Chailly led the 1995 Mahler Festival that celebrated the 100th anniversary of Mahler's first concert at the Concertgebouw. Chailly also conducted opera in Amsterdam, both at the RCO's annual Christmas Matinee concert as well as at De Nederlandse Opera (DNO), where his final opera production in Amsterdam was DNO's staging of Giuseppe Verdi's Don Carlo.[8] One report stated that Chailly decided in 2002 to leave the RCO when, at his last contract negotiations, the orchestra offered him an extension for two years rather than five.[9]

In 1986, Chailly conducted the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig for the first time, at the Salzburg Festival, after Herbert von Karajan had introduced Chailly to the orchestra.[10] His next guest-conducting appearance with the Leipzig orchestra was in 2001, and after an additional appearance, he was named the 19th Kapellmeister of the orchestra.[11][12] In August 2005, he officially became the chief conductor of the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and general music director (GMD) of Oper Leipzig. His initial Leipzig contract was to run through to 2010.[13] In May 2008, he extended his contract with the Gewandhausorchester to 2015. However, he concurrently resigned as GMD of the Oper Leipzig, reportedly after conflict over the hiring of personnel without his consultation.[14][15] In June 2013, the Gewandhausorchester and Chailly agreed on a further extension of his contract through 2020.[16] However, in September 2015, the Gewandhausorchester announced the newly scheduled conclusion of Chailly's tenure as Gewandhauskapellmeister in June 2016, four years ahead of the previously agreed upon contract extension, at Chailly's request.[17][18][19] His projects in Leipzig have included an international Mahler festival in May 2011, featuring 10 different orchestras.

Chailly became the first music director of the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi (La Verdi) in 1999, and held the post until 2005. He now has the title of Conductor Laureate with La Verdi. In December 2013, La Scala announced the appointment of Chailly as its next music director, from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2022. Chailly is scheduled to take the title of principal conductor of La Scala as of 1 January 2015, and to hold that title until 31 December 2016.[20] In August 2015, the Lucerne Festival Orchestra announced the appointment of Chailly as its next music director, effective with the 2016 Lucerne Festival, with an initial contract of 5 years.[21] In February 2021, the orchestra announced an extension of Chailly's contract through 2026.[22]

Recordings

Chailly has an exclusive recording contract with Decca, and his recordings with Decca include complete cycles of the symphonies of Johannes Brahms, Gustav Mahler and Anton Bruckner. His Brahms cycle with the Gewandhausorchester won the 2014 Gramophone Award for Recording of the Year. Other notable achievements include recordings of Igor Stravinsky, Edgard Varèse and Paul Hindemith. More recently, with the Gewandhaus Orchestra, Chailly has led recordings of Felix Mendelssohn, Johann Sebastian Bach, Brahms, Robert Schumann's symphonies in the re-orchestrations by Mahler, and a complete cycle of Beethoven's symphonies. His past recordings with American orchestras included Shostakovich: The Dance Album with the Philadelphia Orchestra[23] and Stravinsky's Le Sacre du printemps with the Cleveland Orchestra.

Personal life

Chailly has been married twice. He has a daughter, Luana, by his first marriage to Anahi Carfi, and a stepson from his second and current marriage to Gabriella Terragni.[4]

References

  1. ^ Pullinger, Mark (3 September 2015). "Chailly and the Berliner Philharmoniker: the critics' choice for World's Best Conductor and Orchestra". Bachtrack. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Goodwin, Noël (2001). "Chailly, Riccardo". Grove Music Online. Oxford: Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.43938. (subscription or UK public library membership required)
  3. ^ Martelli, Giuseppe. "LO SAPEVATE CHE...il ferrarese compositore Luciano Chailly è stato alpino?". noi alpini bolognesi romagnoli.
  4. ^ a b John O'Mahony (9 March 2002). "Maestro in the fast lane". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 August 2007.
  5. ^ Mark Swed (30 September 1990). "Bringing a Touch Of Latin Sunniness To Amsterdam". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 October 2007.
  6. ^ Jessica Duchen (17 September 1999). "Dutch courage". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 August 2007.
  7. ^ Alex Ross (25 February 1996). "An Unpredictable Maestro Jars a Staid Repertory". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 November 2007.
  8. ^ Andrew Clements (9 June 2004). "Don Carlo (Muziektheater, Amsterdam)". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 August 2007.
  9. ^ Hugh Canning, "On the upbeat". The Times, 15 January 2006.
  10. ^ Igor Toronyi-Lalic, "How Riccardo Chailly reinvented the Gewandhaus Orchestra". The Times, 1 November 2008.
  11. ^ Hugh Canning, "Riccardo Chailly on LGO as Barbican regular". The Times, 15 March 2009.
  12. ^ Ivan Hewett (1 April 2009). "Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra: safe in the hands of Riccardo Chailly". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 25 December 2009.
  13. ^ John von Rhein, "Chailly a possibility for CSO? Wait and see". Chicago Tribune, 18 February 2007.
  14. ^ "Riccardo Chailly will Leipziger Oper verlassen". MDR Regional Sachsen, 27 May 2008.
  15. ^ Peter Korfmacher, "Chailly hört bei der Oper auf – Verlängerung beim Gewandhaus". Leipziger Volkszeitung, 27 May 2008.
  16. ^ "Riccardo Chailly remains at the Gewandhausorchester until 2020". Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, June 2013.
  17. ^ "The End of an Era – Riccardo Chailly will end his work with the orchestra in the 2015/2016 season" (PDF) (Press release). Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. 3 September 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  18. ^ Peter Korfmacher (3 September 2015). "Leipzigs Gewandhauskapellmeister Chailly tritt 2016 ab". Leipziger Volkszeitung. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  19. ^ Martin Cullingford (3 September 2015). "Chailly to leave the Leipzig Gewandhausorchester – four years earlier than planned". Gramophone. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  20. ^ "Al vertice della Scala arriva Chailly. Sarà il direttore musicale del teatro". La Repubblica. 10 December 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  21. ^ Michael Cooper (13 August 2015). "Riccardo Chailly to Take Over Lucerne Festival Orchestra". The New York Times (ArtsBeat blog). Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  22. ^ "Extension of Riccardo Chailly's Contract as Music Director of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra" (Press release). Lucerne Festival Orchestra. 11 February 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  23. ^ David Patrick Stearns, "After all that, he'll take Leipzig". Philadelphia Inquirer, 1 March 2007.
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Cultural offices
Preceded by Principal Conductor, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
1982–1989 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
(no predecessor)
 Music Director, Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi
1999–2005 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Generalmusikdirektor, Oper Leipzig
2005–2008 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Music Director, Lucerne Festival Orchestra
2016–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent
Preceded by Music Director, La Scala, Milan
2015–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent
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