John Mauceri
Encyclopedia
John Francis Mauceri is an American conductor, producer and arranger for theatre, opera and television. For fifteen years, he served on the faculty of Yale University. He was a protege of Leonard Bernstein
. and was a 2000 Berlin Prize
Fellow at the American Academy in Berlin.
or Italy
. He was music director
of the Teatro Regio in Turin
for three years. From 1987 to 1993, he was music director of Scottish Opera
.
His American posts include the music directorship of Pittsburgh Opera
from 2000 to 2006. He was principal conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
from 1991 to 2006. He currently holds the title of Founding Director of the orchestra. In 2007, he was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl
Hall of Fame alongside Plácido Domingo
.
In May 2006, the University of North Carolina
named Mauceri as the seventh Chancellor
of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts
. He assumed the post on July 1, 2006, and Pittsburgh Opera released Mauceri early from his contract to allow him to take up this post.
Mauceri's commercial recordings include George Gershwin
's Strike Up The Band, for Nonesuch. In 2006, Mauceri conducted the Nashville Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in a concert performance of Porgy and Bess
that featured cuts and other changes that Gershwin himself had made in the opera during rehearsals leading up to its premiere by the Theatre Guild. This performance was released on CD, the first recording of the opera in this version.
In other media, Mauceri had a small role as the character Claude Maginot in 2002's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
. He appeared briefly as himself in the second episode of the Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
TV series, conducting the fictional "West Coast Philharmonic."
Prior to his current appointment, Mauceri served as the music director of four opera companies: Teatro Regio in Turin, Italy, the Scottish Opera in Glasgow, the Washington Opera at the Kennedy Center and the Pittsburgh Opera. He was also the first music director of the American Symphony Orchestra in Carnegie Hall after its founding director, Leopold Stokowski
, with whom he studied. His other mentors included Carlo Maria Giulini
and Leonard Bernstein, with whom he worked for eighteen years.
Mauceri is well known throughout the world as the Director of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra in Los Angeles, which was created for him in 1991 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. At the Hollywood Bowl, he conducted over 300 concerts over 16 seasons. He now has the title of founding director of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, and recently returned to the Bowl Orchestra to make his debut at Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA.
Mauceri has conducted most of the world's leading orchestras and opera companies and is one of the world's most accomplished recording artists. He is the recipient of Grammy, Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, Edison, two Emmy and four Deutsche Schallplatten awards, among other prestigious recognitions.
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
. and was a 2000 Berlin Prize
Berlin Prize
The Berlin Prize is a residential fellowship at the Hans Arnhold Center, awarded by the American Academy in Berlin.- Fellows of the American Academy in Berlin :-References:*http://www.americanacademy.de/home/about-us/hans-arnhold-center/...
Fellow at the American Academy in Berlin.
Life
Mauceri is the first American ever to have held music directorships of opera houses in either the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
or Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He was music director
Music director
A music director may be the director of an orchestra, the director of music for a film, the director of music at a radio station, the head of the music department in a school, the co-ordinator of the musical ensembles in a university or college , the head bandmaster of a military band, the head...
of the Teatro Regio in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
for three years. From 1987 to 1993, he was music director of Scottish Opera
Scottish Opera
Scottish Opera is the national opera company of Scotland, and one of the five national performing arts companies funded by the Scottish Government...
.
His American posts include the music directorship of Pittsburgh Opera
Pittsburgh Opera
Pittsburgh Opera is an American opera company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is one of two opera companies in the city, the other being Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh Opera gives performances in several venues, primarily at the Benedum Center, with other performances at the...
from 2000 to 2006. He was principal conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra is a symphony orchestra which is managed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association and plays the vast majority of its performances at the Hollywood Bowl....
from 1991 to 2006. He currently holds the title of Founding Director of the orchestra. In 2007, he was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...
Hall of Fame alongside Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
.
In May 2006, the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
named Mauceri as the seventh Chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
The University of North Carolina School of the Arts , formerly the North Carolina School of the Arts, is a public coeducational arts conservatory in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that grants high school, undergraduate and graduate degrees. It is one of the seventeen constituent campuses of the...
. He assumed the post on July 1, 2006, and Pittsburgh Opera released Mauceri early from his contract to allow him to take up this post.
Mauceri's commercial recordings include George Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
's Strike Up The Band, for Nonesuch. In 2006, Mauceri conducted the Nashville Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in a concert performance of Porgy and Bess
Porgy and Bess
Porgy and Bess is an opera, first performed in 1935, with music by George Gershwin, libretto by DuBose Heyward, and lyrics by Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward. It was based on DuBose Heyward's novel Porgy and subsequent play of the same title, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward...
that featured cuts and other changes that Gershwin himself had made in the opera during rehearsals leading up to its premiere by the Theatre Guild. This performance was released on CD, the first recording of the opera in this version.
In other media, Mauceri had a small role as the character Claude Maginot in 2002's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is a 2002 open world action computer and video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the second 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise and sixth original title overall...
. He appeared briefly as himself in the second episode of the Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was an American dramedy television series created and written by Aaron Sorkin. It ran for 22 episodes.The series takes place behind the scenes of a live sketch comedy show on the fictional television network NBS , whose format is similar to that of NBC's...
TV series, conducting the fictional "West Coast Philharmonic."
Prior to his current appointment, Mauceri served as the music director of four opera companies: Teatro Regio in Turin, Italy, the Scottish Opera in Glasgow, the Washington Opera at the Kennedy Center and the Pittsburgh Opera. He was also the first music director of the American Symphony Orchestra in Carnegie Hall after its founding director, Leopold Stokowski
Leopold Stokowski
Leopold Anthony Stokowski was a British-born, naturalised American orchestral conductor, well known for his free-hand performing style that spurned the traditional baton and for obtaining a characteristically sumptuous sound from many of the great orchestras he conducted.In America, Stokowski...
, with whom he studied. His other mentors included Carlo Maria Giulini
Carlo Maria Giulini
Carlo Maria Giulini was an Italian conductor.-Biography:Giulini was born in Barletta, Italy, to a father born in Lombardy and a mother born in Naples; but he was raised in Bolzano, which at the time of his birth was part of Austria...
and Leonard Bernstein, with whom he worked for eighteen years.
Mauceri is well known throughout the world as the Director of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra in Los Angeles, which was created for him in 1991 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. At the Hollywood Bowl, he conducted over 300 concerts over 16 seasons. He now has the title of founding director of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, and recently returned to the Bowl Orchestra to make his debut at Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA.
Mauceri has conducted most of the world's leading orchestras and opera companies and is one of the world's most accomplished recording artists. He is the recipient of Grammy, Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, Edison, two Emmy and four Deutsche Schallplatten awards, among other prestigious recognitions.