Davis, Sir Colin

Davis, Sir Colin

▪ British conductor
in full  Sir Colin Rex Davis  
born Sept. 25, 1927, Weybridge, Surrey, Eng.

      English conductor and the foremost modern interpreter of the composer Hector Berlioz (Berlioz, Hector), whose complete orchestral and operatic works Davis recorded.

      Davis turned to conducting after studying clarinet at the Royal College of Music in London. Appointed assistant conductor of the BBC Scottish Orchestra in 1957, he gained critical acclaim while substituting for an ill Otto Klemperer (Klemperer, Otto) in a Festival Hall performance of Mozart's Don Giovanni in 1959. From 1961 to 1965 Davis was musical director of Sadler's Wells Opera, and from 1967 to 1971 he served as principal conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. In 1971 he succeeded Georg Solti (Solti, Sir Georg) as musical director of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Davis was music director and principal conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1983 to 1992. He was named principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra in 1995, having been principal guest conductor since 1975; recordings with the orchestra have won multiple Grammy Awards, as well as the British and French equivalents. He was principal guest conductor of the New York Philharmonic from 1998 to 2003. Many other major orchestras have engaged him as guest conductor. He approached both the musicians and the music with respect, remarking in an interview: “Conducting is like holding the bird of life in your hand: hold it too tight and it dies, hold it too lightly and it flies away.”

      Davis was made a Commander of the British Empire in 1965 and was knighted in 1980; in 2001 he was named to the Order of the Companions of Honour.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Sir Colin Davis — Sir Colin Rex Davis, CH, CBE (* 25. September 1927 in Weybridge) ist ein englischer Dirigent. Er studierte zunächst Musik (Klarinette) in London, wurde dann jedoch Dirigent. Seine hervorragenden Fähigkeiten führten dazu, dass er 1967 Chefdirigent …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Sir Colin Davis — Colin Davis Colin Davis Pour les articles homonymes, voir Davis. Sir Colin Davis, né le 25 septembre 1927 à Weybridge ( …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Davis, Sir Colin (Rex) — born Sept. 5, 1927, Weybridge, Surrey, Eng. British conductor. Self taught as a conductor, he first earned acclaim with a 1958 production of Mozart s opera The Abduction from the Seraglio. His reputation was established when he filled in for Otto …   Universalium

  • Davis, Sir Colin (Rex) — (n. 5 sep. 1927, Weybridge, Surrey, Inglaterra). Director de orquesta británico de formación autodidacta. En 1958 cosechó sus primeros éxitos con una producción de la ópera de Mozart titulada El rapto en el serrallo. Al año siguiente cimentó su… …   Enciclopedia Universal

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  • Colin Davis — Sir Colin Davis Sir Colin Rex Davis, CH, CBE (* 25. September 1927 in Weybridge) ist ein englischer Dirigent. Er studierte zunächst Musik (Klarinette) in London, wurde dann jedoch Dirigent. Seine hervorragenden Fähigkeiten führten dazu, dass er… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Colin Davis — Sir Colin Davis Sir Colin Davis, CH, CBE nació el 25 de septiembre de 1927 en Weybridge, Surrey, Reino Unido. Es uno de los directores de orquesta británicos más importante en nuestro tiempo. Biografía Estudió clarinete en el Royal College of… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Davis — Davis, Angela Davis, Bette Davis, Copa Davis, Jefferson Davis, John Davis, Miles Dewey * * * (as used in expressions) Davis, Angela (Yvonne) Davis, Benjamin O(liver), Jr. Davis, Bette …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Colin Davis — For the former Formula One driver, see Colin Davis (racing driver). Sir Colin Rex Davis, CH, CBE (born 25 September 1927) is an English conductor. His repertoire is broad, but among the composers with whom he is particularly associated are Mozart …   Wikipedia

  • sir — /serr/, n. 1. a respectful or formal term of address used to a man: No, sir. 2. (cap.) the distinctive title of a knight or baronet: Sir Walter Scott. 3. (cap.) a title of respect for some notable personage of ancient times: Sir Pandarus of Troy …   Universalium

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