Woldemar Nelsson

Woldemar Nelsson was a renowned Russian conductor, born on April 4, 1938, in Klintsy. He came from a family of musicians and initially trained as a violinist, playing for 15 years with the Novosibirsk Symphony Orchestra. Nelsson later studied conducting at the Academy of Music in Novosibirsk and attended masterclasses in Moscow and Leningrad. His career took a significant turn when he won the second prize at the Moscow All-Union Competition in 1971, leading to his appointment as assistant conductor to Kirill Kondrashin with the Moscow Philharmonic. In 1976, Nelsson moved to the West, where he conducted numerous prominent orchestras and participated in notable festivals, including Bayreuth and Salzburg. He worked closely with celebrated composers like Krzysztof Penderecki and Hans Werner Henze and was known for his performances of operas such as Wagner's *Lohengrin*.

Nelsson held various positions, including musical director at the Staatstheater Kassel and chief conductor of the Royal Opera in Copenhagen. He also conducted world premieres of significant works, such as Penderecki's *The Black Mask* and Henze's ballet *Orpheus*. His later years saw him serving as principal guest conductor of the Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana in Italy. Nelsson passed away on November 7, 2006, in Munich, leaving behind a legacy of rich musical contributions across Europe.

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