Otto Gerdes was a German conductor and record producer born in 1920 in Cologne. He studied music, including conducting with Hermann Abendroth at the Hochschule für Musik Köln, and went on to conduct opera in several German cities such as Berlin, Dresden, Koblenz, Leipzig, and Munich. Later, he conducted radio orchestras in Baden-Baden and Cologne and also led concerts with the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden. In 1956, he began working as a record producer for Deutsche Grammophon, becoming the label's artistic director in 1963. Gerdes is notable for having been Herbert von Karajan’s main producer at Deutsche Grammophon. Apart from producing, he also conducted recordings, famously stepping in to conduct excerpts of "Eugene Onegin" when needed. He passed away in 1989.
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