Kent Nagano
Kent George Nagano | |
---|---|
Born | Kent George Nagano November 22, 1951 Berkeley, California, U.S. |
Occupation | Conductor |
Known for | Pioneer of historically informed performance |
Kent George Nagano GOQ, MSM (born November 22, 1951) is an American conductor and opera administrator. Since 2015, he has been Generalmusikdirektor (GMD) of the Hamburg State Opera (until 2025).
Early life and education
Nagano was born in Berkeley, California, while his parents were in graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a sansei (third-generation) Japanese-American.[1]
He grew up in
Career
Nagano's first conducting job was with the Opera Company of Boston, where he was assistant conductor to Sarah Caldwell. In 1978, he became the conductor of the Berkeley Symphony, his first music directorship. He stepped down from this position in 2009.[3][4] During his tenure in Berkeley, Nagano became a champion of the music of Olivier Messiaen and initiated a correspondence with him.[5] He was later invited to work with Messiaen on the final stages of his opera Saint François d'Assise in Paris, where he lived with Messiaen and his wife Yvonne Loriod, whom he came to regard as his "European parents".[6]
In 1982, Nagano conducted the London Symphony Orchestra in several of
.Beginning in 1985, Nagano was the Music Director of the
Nagano has a long history of inventive programming, particularly in the chamber music repertoire. It is impossible not to mention his legendary collaboration with Icelandic artist
In October 2020, Nagano was elected as a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in consideration of "his eminent merits in the musical art".
Lyon and Manchester
Nagano was music director of the
Nagano served as principal conductor of the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester from 1992 to 1999. During his tenure, Nagano received criticism for his expensive and ambitious programming, as well as his conducting fees.[10] However, poor financial management at the orchestra separately contributed to the fiscal troubles of the orchestra.[11] His contract was not renewed after 1999.
Berlin and Los Angeles
Nagano became principal conductor and artistic director of the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin in 2000, and served in this position until 2006. He made a number of recordings with the orchestra, including music by Ludwig van Beethoven, Arnold Schoenberg, Anton Bruckner, Alexander von Zemlinsky, and Gustav Mahler.
Nagano became principal conductor of the Los Angeles Opera (LA Opera) with the 2001–2002 season. In May 2003, Nagano was named the LA Opera's first music director, and he retained this position through 2006.
Liverpool
Nagano is the president of the European Opera Centre, Liverpool.[12]
Recent work
He has been a regular guest at the
In 2006, Nagano became both the music director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (OSM) and GMD of the Bavarian State Opera. His contract with the Bavarian State Opera did not allow him to be the music director of another opera company.[13] He concluded his Bavarian State Opera tenure in 2013.[14] With the OSM, he has conducted commercial recordings for such labels as ECM New Series. Nagano concluded his OSM tenure at the end of the 2019–2020 season.[15]
Nagano has served as one of the
Personal life
Nagano is married to pianist Mari Kodama.[22] The couple has one daughter, Karin Kei Nagano.[23]
Honours
- Seaver/National Endowment for the Arts Conductors Award in 1985
- Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, 2008[24]
- Wilhelm Furtwängler Prize 2010, Beethovenfest Bonn
- Meritorious Service Medal – Invested on: May 24, 2018.[25][26]
- Honorary Grand Officer of the National Order of Québec, in 2013 (however, part of the 2014 list)[27]
- Honorary conductor Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg, 2023[28]
Selected discography
- Widmann: Arche. Marlis Petersen, Thomas E. Bauer, Iveta Apkalna, Kent Nagano, Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg. ECM 2605 (2018)
- Beethoven: Nine Symphonies – 'O Mensch, gib acht! Entre les Lumières et la Révolution'. Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Analekta
- Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos 4 and 5. Till Fellner, piano; Montreal Symphony Orchestra. ECM 2114
- Arthur Honegger and Jacques Ibert: L'Aiglon. Decca[29]
- Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf. Jean-Pascal Beintus: Wolf Tracks. Mikhail Gorbachev, Bill Clinton, Kent Nagano, Sophia Loren, Russian National Orchestra. PENTATONE PTC 5186011 (2003).
- Saint-Saëns, Samy Moussa, Kaija Saariaho: 'Symphonie et créations avec orgue'. Olivier Latry, Jean-Willy Kunz, organists; Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Analekta
- Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto & Piano Concerto. Christian Tetzlaff, Nikolai Lugansky, Kent Nagano, Russian National Orchestra. PENTATONE PTC 5186022 (2003)
- Chopin, Carl Loewe: Piano Concertos. Mari Kodama, Kent Nagano, Russian National Orchestra. PENTATONE PTC 5186026 (2003)
- Bruckner: Symphony No 3. Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Kent Nagano. Harmonia Mundi 801817 (2003)
- Mahler: Symphony No 8. Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Kent Nagano, Sally Matthews, Sylvia Greenberg, Lynne Dawson, Elena Manistina, Sophie Koch, Robert Gambill, Detlef Roth, Jan-Hendrik Rootering. Harmonia Mundi 801858/59 (2004)
- Saint-Saëns, Andrew Wan, violin, Complete Violin Concertos (n°1, n°2, n°3), Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, conductor Kent Nagano. CD Analekta 2015
- Ginastera: Violin Concerto, Bernstein: Sérénade, Moussa: Concerto "Adrano", Andrew Wan , violin, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, conductor Kent Nagano. CD Analekta 2019
References
- ^ Asakawa, Gil. (2012). Being Japanese American, p. 79.
- ^ Nagano, Kent. "University & Career in Music". Kent Nagano. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
- ^ Bullock, Ken (January 23, 2007). "Kent Nagano to Step Down as Berkeley Symphony Music Director". Berkeley Daily Planet. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
- ^ "Joana Carneiro named Berkeley Symphony music director" (PDF). Berkeley Symphony Orchestra. January 15, 2009. Retrieved June 11, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Allan Kozinn (November 1, 1987). "Nagano With a Little Bit of Luck, a Conducting Career Flourishes". New York Times. Retrieved October 30, 2007.
- ^ Shirley Apthorp, "The quiet achiever", AB Radio 24 Hours, October 1995, p. 26
- Hour. Archived from the originalon September 22, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2008.
- ^ Miller, Margo (December 9, 1984). "A Busy Young Maestro Gets To Sub For His Idol". Boston Globe. Retrieved March 15, 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Dyer, Richard (December 1, 1984). "BSO Hails Nagano After Triumph". Boston Globe. Retrieved March 15, 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ John Ezard (May 25, 1999). "Nagano passes on Halle baton". The Guardian. Retrieved June 16, 2007.
- ^ Stephen Moss (May 28, 1999). "Say Hallé, wave goodbye". The Guardian. Retrieved June 16, 2007.
- ^ "European Opera Centre - leadership". europeanoperacentre (in French). Retrieved January 30, 2024.
- ^ Daniel J. Wakin (September 17, 2004). "National Briefing, West: California: Short Stay For A Music Director". New York Times. Retrieved June 16, 2007.
- ^ "Star Munich opera director Nagano resigns amid controversy". The Local. July 6, 2010. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
- ^ Arthur Kaptainis (June 29, 2017). "Kent Nagano has timed his departure from the OSM just right". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
- ^ Vadim Prokhorov (March 18, 2004). "Batons at dawn". The Guardian. Retrieved June 16, 2007.
- ^ Malin Clausson (August 30, 2012). "Nagano tar över efter Dudamel". Göteborgs-Posten. Archived from the original on September 2, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
- ^ Arthur Kaptainis (August 3, 2012). "OSM's Nagano to Hamburg Opera in 2015". Montreal Gazette. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
- ^ Charlotte Smith (September 26, 2012). "Kent Nagano appointed music director of Hamburg State Opera from 2015". Gramophone. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
- ^ "Kent Nagano verlängert – und Kühne gibt Millionen". Hamburger Abendblatt. October 4, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
- ^ "Omer Meir Wellber wird neuer Hamburgischer Generalmusikdirektor beim Philharmonischen Staatsorchester und Generalmusikdirektor und Chefdirigent der Hamburgischen Staatsoper" (Press release). City of Hamburg. February 24, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
- ^ Bill Brownstein (May 22, 2015). "The maestro revealed: Kent Nagano marches to his own beat". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
- ^ Bill Brownstein (April 1, 2017). "From musical star to medical student: Karin Kei Nagano takes her cue from her parents". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
- ^ Japan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), "2008 Autumn Conferment of Decorations on Foreign Nationals," p. 6; Retrieved December 4, 2012.
- ^ General, Office of the Secretary to the Governor. "Mr. Kent Nagano". The Governor General of Canada.
- ^ "Canada Gazette – Government House". Public Works and Government Services Canada. January 2, 2016.
- ^ "Les nominations a l'Ordre national du Québec 2014" (PDF). ordre-national.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Retrieved July 15, 2023.
- ^ "Zwei große Ehrungen an einem Abend in der Elbphilharmonie". hamburg.de (in German). Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ Jeal, Erica (March 17, 2016). "Honegger/Ibert: L'Aiglon CD review – convincing version of a stirring opera". The Guardian. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
External links
- Official website
- Kent Nagano at the Montreal Symphony Orchestra
- Kent Nagano at AllMusic
- Kent Nagano discography