Sir Charles Mackerras

Conductor Charles Mackerras was especially well known for his interpretations of music by Leoš Janáček and other Czech composers. He was also one of the first conductors to apply the principles of the historical performance movement to operatic performances by modern orchestras. From 1954 to 1956, Mackerras was the principal conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. He also held a lifelong association with the Sadler's Wells opera company. Mackerras inaugurated the new Sydney Opera House in Australia in 1973, and the following year, he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Mackerras was chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony from 1982 to 1985, and in 1992, became principal guest conductor of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Mackerras remained in demand as a guest conductor until the end of his long life, leading the Vienna Philharmonic in the final concert of pianist Alfred Brendel in 2008.