Oliver von Dohnanyi

Oliver von Dohnanyi received his training in conducting from Václav Neumann at Prague’s Academy of Musical Arts before continuing his studies with Otmar Suitner at Vienna’s Hochschule für Musik. His first appearance came in 1979, leading the Bratislava Radio Symphony Orchestra. During the 1980s he maintained strong ties to that ensemble along with the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra and the chamber group Canticorum Iubilo. Opera eventually became his primary focus. Between 1986 and 1989 he served as chief conductor of the Slovak National Opera, and in 1993 he took up the post of music director at Prague’s National Theatre. Engagements have since taken him to the English National Opera and the Salzburg Festival, as well as to performances with the English Chamber Orchestra. His recorded output features compositions by Rubinstein, Liszt, and Smetana.