Wikipedia

Kent Nagano

Kent George Nagano(born November 22, 1951) is an American conductor and opera administrator. Since 2015, he has beenGeneralmusikdirektor(GMD) of theHamburg State Opera(until 2025).

Kent George Nagano
OC,GOQ,MSM
Nagano photographed by Rory Carnegie
Born
Kent George Nagano

(1951-11-22)November 22, 1951(age 73)
Berkeley, California,U.S.
OccupationConductor
Known forPioneer ofhistorically informed performance

Early life and education

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Nagano was born inBerkeley, California,while his parents were in graduate school at theUniversity of California, Berkeley.He is asansei(third-generation) Japanese-American.[1]

He grew up inMorro Bay,a city located on theCentral Coast of CaliforniainSan Luis Obispo County.He studied sociology and music at theUniversity of California, Santa Cruz.[2]After graduation, he moved toSan Francisco State Universityto study music. While there, he took composition courses from Grosvenor Cooper andRoger Nixon.He also studied at theÉcole Normale de Musique de Paris.

Career

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Nagano's first conducting job was with theOpera Company of Boston,where he was assistant conductor toSarah Caldwell.In 1978, he became the conductor of theBerkeley Symphony,his first music directorship. He stepped down from this position in 2009.[3][4]During his tenure inBerkeley,Nagano became a champion of the music ofOlivier Messiaenand initiated a correspondence with him.[5]He was later invited to work with Messiaen on the final stages of his operaSaint François d'Assisein Paris, where he lived with Messiaen and his wifeYvonne Loriod,whom he came to regard as his "European parents".[6]

In 1982, Nagano conducted the London Symphony Orchestra in several ofFrank Zappa's completely orchestral compositions for the first time. Nagano recorded several of Zappa's pieces on the issueLondon Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 1,where Zappa had personally chosen Nagano to conduct the orchestra. Nagano described this as "my first chance, my first real break".[7]In 1984, while assistant conductor of theBoston Symphony Orchestra,he stepped in forSeiji Ozawaon short notice and without rehearsal,[8]receiving acclaim from the audience, orchestra, andBoston Globecritic Richard Dyer for a "noble performance"[9]ofMahler'sNinth Symphony.

Beginning in 1985, Nagano was the Music Director of theOjai Music Festivalfour separate times, the last in 2004, and once alongsideStephen Moskoin 1986.

Nagano has a long history of inventive programming, particularly in the chamber music repertoire. It is impossible not to mention his legendary collaboration with Icelandic artistBjörkat the 1996Verbier FestivalperformingArnold Schoenberg'sPierrot Lunaire.

Lyon and Manchester

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Nagano was music director of theOpéra National de Lyonfrom 1988 to 1998, where he recorded, with the Lyon National Opera Orchestra and chorus, numerous works including Busoni'sDoktor Faust,ArlecchinoandTurandot,Prokofiev'sL'amour des trois oranges,Stravinsky'sThe Rake's Progress,Offenbach'sThe Tales of Hoffmann,the premiere of Debussy'sRodrigue et Chimène,Canteloube'sChants d'Auvergne,Berlioz'sLa damnation de Faust,Carlisle Floyd'sSusannah,operas by Richard Strauss, the French version ofSaloméand the original version ofAriadne auf Naxos,Peter Eötvös'Tri sestry,Massenet'sWerther,Delibes'Coppélia,Poulenc'sDialogues of the Carmelites,orchestral works byMaurice Ravel,and Kurt Weill'sThe Seven Deadly Sins.

Nagano served as principal conductor of theHallé Orchestrain Manchester from 1992 to 1999. During his tenure, Nagano received criticism for his expensive and ambitious programming, as well as his conducting fees.[10]However, poor financial management at the orchestra separately contributed to the fiscal troubles of the orchestra.[11]His contract was not renewed after 1999.

Berlin and Los Angeles

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Nagano became principal conductor and artistic director of theDeutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlinin 2000, and served in this position until 2006.[12]He made a number of recordings with the orchestra, including music byLudwig van Beethoven,Arnold Schoenberg,Anton Bruckner,Alexander von Zemlinsky,andGustav Mahler.

Nagano became principal conductor of theLos Angeles Opera(LA Opera) with the 2001–2002 season. In May 2003, Nagano was named the LA Opera's first music director, and he retained this position through 2006.[12]

Liverpool

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Nagano is the president of theEuropean Opera Centre,Liverpool.[13]

Recent work

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He has been a regular guest at theSalzburg Festival,where he premieredKaija Saariaho'sL'amour de loinin 2000. He also conducted the world premiere ofJohn Adams'The Death of Klinghofferatla Monnaiein Brussels.

InOper für Alle,Munich, 2010

In 2006, Nagano became both the music director of theMontreal Symphony Orchestra(OSM) and GMD of theBavarian State Opera.His contract with the Bavarian State Opera did not allow him to be the music director of another opera company.[14]He concluded his Bavarian State Opera tenure in 2013.[15]With the OSM, he has conducted commercial recordings for such labels as ECM New Series. Nagano concluded his OSM tenure at the end of the 2019–2020 season.[16]

Nagano has served as one of theRussian National Orchestra's Conductor Collegium.[17]In August 2012, theGothenburg Symphony Orchestraannounced the appointment of Nagano as its principal guest conductor and artistic advisor, as of the 2013–2014 season, with an initial contract of 3 years.[18]In September 2012, the Hamburg State Opera announced the appointment of Nagano as its nextGeneralmusikdirektor(General Music Director) andChefdirigent(chief conductor), effective with the 2015–2016 season,[19]with an initial contract through the 2019–2020 season.[20]In October 2017, the company announced the extension of Nagano's Hamburg contract through 2025.[21]Nagano is scheduled to conclude his Hamburg State Opera tenure as GMD at the close of the 2024–2025 season.[22]

Personal life

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Nagano is married to pianistMari Kodama.[23]The couple has one daughter,Karin Kei Nagano.[24]He resides inMontrealand San Francisco.[25]

Honours

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Awards

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Honorary doctorates

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Memberships

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In October 2020, Nagano was elected as a member of theRoyal Swedish Academy of Musicin consideration of "his eminent merits in the musical art".[34]

Selected discography

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References

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  1. ^Asakawa, Gil. (2012).Being Japanese American,p. 79.
  2. ^Nagano, Kent."University & Career in Music".Kent Nagano.Archived fromthe originalon June 24, 2015.RetrievedJune 23,2015.
  3. ^Bullock, Ken (January 23, 2007)."Kent Nagano to Step Down as Berkeley Symphony Music Director".Berkeley Daily Planet.Archivedfrom the original on October 8, 2018.RetrievedOctober 8,2018.
  4. ^"Joana Carneiro".LA Phil.RetrievedNovember 28,2024.
  5. ^Allan Kozinn (November 1, 1987)."Nagano With a Little Bit of Luck, a Conducting Career Flourishes".New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on August 19, 2024.RetrievedOctober 30,2007.
  6. ^Shirley Apthorp, "The quiet achiever",AB Radio 24 Hours,October 1995, p. 26
  7. ^Burnett, Richard (September 4, 2008)."Nagano grooves".Hour.Archived fromthe originalon September 22, 2008.RetrievedSeptember 4,2008.
  8. ^Miller, Margo (December 9, 1984). "A Busy Young Maestro Gets To Sub For His Idol".Boston Globe.
  9. ^Dyer, Richard (December 1, 1984). "BSO Hails Nagano After Triumph".Boston Globe.
  10. ^John Ezard (May 25, 1999)."Nagano passes on Halle baton".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on August 19, 2024.RetrievedJune 16,2007.
  11. ^Stephen Moss (May 28, 1999)."Say Hallé, wave goodbye".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on August 19, 2024.RetrievedJune 16,2007.
  12. ^abcde"Kent Nagano".Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin(in German).RetrievedNovember 28,2024.
  13. ^"European Opera Centre - leadership".europeanoperacentre(in French).Archivedfrom the original on August 19, 2024.RetrievedJanuary 30,2024.
  14. ^Daniel J. Wakin (September 17, 2004)."National Briefing, West: California: Short Stay For A Music Director".New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on April 30, 2009.RetrievedJune 16,2007.
  15. ^"Star Munich opera director Nagano resigns amid controversy".The Local.July 6, 2010.RetrievedAugust 8,2012.
  16. ^Arthur Kaptainis (June 29, 2017)."Kent Nagano has timed his departure from the OSM just right".Montreal Gazette.Archivedfrom the original on July 1, 2017.RetrievedJuly 1,2017.
  17. ^Vadim Prokhorov (March 18, 2004)."Batons at dawn".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on August 19, 2024.RetrievedJune 16,2007.
  18. ^Malin Clausson (August 30, 2012)."Nagano tar över efter Dudamel".Göteborgs-Posten.Archived fromthe originalon September 2, 2012.RetrievedSeptember 3,2012.
  19. ^Arthur Kaptainis (August 3, 2012)."OSM's Nagano to Hamburg Opera in 2015".Montreal Gazette.Archived fromthe originalon October 11, 2012.RetrievedOctober 31,2012.
  20. ^Charlotte Smith (September 26, 2012)."Kent Nagano appointed music director of Hamburg State Opera from 2015".Gramophone.Archivedfrom the original on July 14, 2014.RetrievedJune 9,2014.
  21. ^"Kent Nagano verlängert – und Kühne gibt Millionen".Hamburger Abendblatt.October 4, 2017.Archivedfrom the original on August 8, 2019.RetrievedDecember 31,2017.
  22. ^"Omer Meir Wellber wird neuer Hamburgischer Generalmusikdirektor beim Philharmonischen Staatsorchester und Generalmusikdirektor und Chefdirigent der Hamburgischen Staatsoper"(Press release). City of Hamburg. February 24, 2023.RetrievedMarch 28,2023.
  23. ^Bill Brownstein (May 22, 2015)."The maestro revealed: Kent Nagano marches to his own beat".Montreal Gazette.Archivedfrom the original on August 24, 2017.RetrievedJune 28,2017.
  24. ^Bill Brownstein (April 1, 2017)."From musical star to medical student: Karin Kei Nagano takes her cue from her parents".Montreal Gazette.Archivedfrom the original on March 23, 2019.RetrievedJune 28,2017.
  25. ^ab"Order of Canada Appointees – June 2024".Governor General of Canada.June 21, 2024.Archivedfrom the original on June 27, 2024.RetrievedJune 27,2024.
  26. ^"CONDUCTORS NAGANO, WOLFF HONORED".Los Angeles Times.May 31, 1985.RetrievedNovember 28,2024.
  27. ^Japan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA),"2008 Autumn Conferment of Decorations on Foreign Nationals," p. 6ArchivedNovember 25, 2022, at theWayback Machine;Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  28. ^"Kent Nagano erhält Wilhelm-Furtwängler-Preis".miz.org(in German). April 16, 2010.RetrievedNovember 28,2024.
  29. ^General, Office of the Secretary to the Governor."Mr. Kent Nagano".The Governor General of Canada.
  30. ^"Canada Gazette – Government House".Public Works and Government Services Canada. January 2, 2016.
  31. ^"Les nominations a l'Ordre national du Québec 2014"(PDF).ordre-national.gouv.qc.ca(in French).Archived(PDF)from the original on July 15, 2023.RetrievedJuly 15,2023.
  32. ^"Zwei große Ehrungen an einem Abend in der Elbphilharmonie".hamburg.de(in German).Archivedfrom the original on May 1, 2023.RetrievedMay 1,2023.
  33. ^"Kent Nagano im Interview:" Es hat mich zutiefst bewegt... "".Kloenschnack(in German). July 9, 2024.RetrievedNovember 28,2024.
  34. ^"Nio nya ledamöter invalda".Kungl. Musikaliska Akademien(in Swedish). October 8, 2020.RetrievedNovember 28,2024.
  35. ^Jeal, Erica (March 17, 2016)."Honegger/Ibert: L'Aiglon CD review – convincing version of a stirring opera".The Guardian.RetrievedJuly 1,2017.
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Cultural offices
Preceded by Music Director, Opéra National de Lyon
1988–1998 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Principal Conductor, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
2000–2006 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
no predecessor
 Principal Conductor and Music Director, Los Angeles Opera
2001–2006 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Generalmusikdirektor,Hamburg State Opera
2015–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent
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