Charles Mackerras

Sir Charles Mackerras was a celebrated Australian conductor known for his dynamic interpretations and deep scholarship, particularly in opera and 19th-century symphonic music. Born in 1925, he became a trailblazer in historically informed performance and was especially revered for his work with composers like Mozart, Janáček, and Handel. Over his long career, he held principal positions with prestigious orchestras, including the English National Opera and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, where he earned critical acclaim for his stylish and insightful readings.

Mackerras was also a prolific recording artist, contributing numerous landmark recordings that showcased his attention to detail and musical integrity. His interpretations of Czech music, especially the works of Janáček and Dvořák, helped bring wider recognition to those composers, while his renditions of operatic and symphonic staples earned him an enduring place in classical music history. Knighted in 1979, Sir Charles Mackerras left a lasting legacy as one of the most respected conductors of his generation.

Genres

Classical

Contemporary Classical

Chamber Music

Opera

Baroque

Orchestral Music

Romantic Music

Symphonic Music

Historical Performance

Related Artists

John Eliot Gardiner

Andrew Davis

Bernard Haitink

Herbert von Karajan

Claudio Abbado

Sir Colin Davis

Vladimir Ashkenazy

Pierre Boulez

Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Iván Fischer

Leonard Bernstein

André Previn

Latest Release

Handel Favourites – Arrival of the Queen of Sheda, Water Music, and more – Mackerras, Szell, Menuhi,n Somary

George Frideric Handel•

Yehudi Menuhin•

George Szell•

Charles Mackerras

Album - 23 Tracks - Released October 13, 2017