Veronika Dudarova

Veronika Dudarova was a groundbreaking Soviet and Russian conductor who shattered glass ceilings in classical music. Born in 1916 in Baku (now Azerbaijan), she became the first woman in the USSR to lead a symphony orchestra, blazing a trail for female conductors in a male-dominated field. A graduate of the Moscow Conservatory, she spent over 40 years as the fiery artistic director of the Moscow Symphony Orchestra, earning a reputation for her passionate interpretations of Russian and European classics. Her dynamic performances of composers like Khachaturian, Ravel, and Strauss—showcased in recent remastered reissues—combined technical precision with raw emotional power, making her a beloved figure in 20th-century classical music. Honored as a People’s Artist of the USSR, Dudarova kept conducting into her 80s, cementing her legacy as a pioneer whose recordings continue to introduce new audiences to orchestral grandeur. She passed away in 2009, but her vibrant spirit lives on in these crisp, revitalized tracks.

Genres

Classical

Contemporary Classical

Opera

Baroque

Neo-classical

Neoclassical

Latest Release

Khachaturian: Masquerade & La viuda valenciana

Aram Khachaturian•

Veronika Dudarova•

Moscow Symphony Orchestra

Album - 11 Tracks - Released December 1, 2015