1933 – 2014 Claudio Abbado is remembered as one of the most outstanding conductors of his time. His extraordinary ability to delve into the essence of music and reveal its secrets with impressive clarity defined his artistic achievements. Moreover, his contributions to fostering musicians, founding orchestras, and establishing festivals had a profound impact on the cultural landscape as a whole.
Abbado leaves behind an immense legacy of recordings that reflect his personal development as a musician and his passion for composers like Mahler, Debussy, Verdi, Mussorgsky and Schubert. His recordings also showcase his love for contemporary works by Nono, Stockhausen and Rihm. This legacy highlights his collaborations with iconic institutions such as La Scala in Milan, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Vienna Philharmonic, and the Berlin Philharmonic.
Born in 1933 into a family passionate about music and the arts in Milan, Claudio Abbado studied piano, composition and conducting at the “Giuseppe Verdi” Conservatory in his hometown. After completing his studies in the mid-1950s, he moved to Vienna to continue his conducting studies with Hans Swarowsky. In 1958, he won the Koussevitzky Prize of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Two years later, he debuted at La Scala in Milan, conducting Scarlatti at the Piccola Scala.
In 1963, Abbado won the Mitropoulos Prize and worked as an assistant to Leonard Bernstein with the New York Philharmonic for several months. Herbert von Karajan invited him to conduct the Vienna Philharmonic at the Salzburg Festival in 1965, where he performed Mahler’s Symphony No. 2. That same year, Abbado conducted the premiere of Giacomo Manzoni’s “Atomtod” at the Piccola Scala. The following season, he directed his first opera at La Scala’s main stage: Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi, featuring Pavarotti and Scotto. After leading the opening performances of the next two seasons, he became the music director of La Scala in 1968 at just 35 years old. Following his tenure (1979–1986) as music director of the London Symphony Orchestra, Abbado became the artistic director of the Vienna State Opera in 1986. The following year, he was named General Music Director of the City of Vienna, where he later founded the “Wien Modern” festival, initially dedicated to contemporary music but now encompassing all art forms. Amid the dramatic changes surrounding the fall of the Berlin Wall, Abbado was elected by the musicians of the Berlin Philharmonic in late 1989 as the orchestra’s permanent conductor and artistic director, succeeding Herbert von Karajan. After leaving Berlin, Abbado continued his work with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. In 2003, he founded the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, his “hand-picked” ensemble of leading international musicians, and in 2004, the Orchestra Mozart in Bologna.
In 1967, Abbado made his first recording for Deutsche Grammophon: a still highly regarded interpretation of Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G Major and Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with Martha Argerich and the Berlin Philharmonic. Over the years, he conducted an impressive array of recordings for Deutsche Grammophon, including the complete symphonies of Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler and Schubert, as well as more than 20 complete operas.
Abbado was deeply committed to nurturing young talent. He founded and directed the European Union Youth Orchestra, which became the Chamber Orchestra of Europe in 1981. With this ensemble, he recorded Rossini’s “Il viaggio a Reims” and all of Schubert’s symphonies, both of which were named “Recording of the Year” by Gramophone in 1986 and 1988, respectively.
Claudio Abbado’s final concert remains an unforgettable moment in music history. In May 2013, he conducted a powerful and moving performance with the Berlin Philharmonic. This last appearance was not only a highlight of his career but also a touching expression of gratitude and recognition for his extraordinary artistry. Shortly after, on January 20, 2014, Abbado passed away at the age of 80 in Bologna, Italy. His death left a void in the world of classical music, but his legendary performances and immense passion for music continue to live on.
Experience the extraordinary music of Claudio Abbado on STAGE+. The globally celebrated conductor shaped the classical music scene with his masterful interpretations. On our streaming platform, you can enjoy his concerts and performances anytime and anywhere with top-quality sound. Immerse yourself in the world of one of the greatest conductors of our time and stream his unforgettable performances today!
