Theo Alcántara
Theo Alcántara is a Spanish-born conductor of both orchestra and opera, primarily in the United States, South America, and Spain.
Notable permanent and guest conducting roles
[edit]Maestro Alcántara has held the following permanent appointments:
- Deputy Director of the Camerata Academica and the Orchestra at the Akademie Mozarteum in Salzburg[1][2]
- 1964–66, conductor of the Frankfurt Opera, Frankfurt, Germany[3][2]
- 1967–74, director of the opera workshop and symphony orchestra of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan[3][2]
- 1968–72, Jackson Symphony Orchestra in Jackson, Michigan[4]
- 1973–78, Western Michigan Opera (now Opera Grand Rapids)[3]
- 1973–78, Grand Rapids Symphony, Grand Rapids, MI[3][2][5]
- 1978–89, Phoenix Symphony, Phoenix AZ, and laureate conductor 1989-93[3][2][6]
- 1981-84 Artistic Director of the Music Academy of the West, Summer Festival, Santa Barbara, California[3][2]
- 1987-2002 Pittsburgh Opera[3][7][8]
- 1990–93, Artistic Director of the Caracas Opera and Caracas International Opera Festival[3]
- 1993-2002 Artistic Director of the Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa[3][7][8]
- 1994- Principal Guest Conductor of the National Orchestra of Spain[7]
On May 27, 1978, he made his debut with the Metropolitan Opera in New York, conducting Don Giovanni.[3][2]
He has guest conducted with the Philadelphia Orchestra,[7][9] American Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra,[7] Columbus Symphony Orchestra,[7] Dallas Symphony Orchestra,[7] the Detroit Symphony Orchestra,[7] Florida Philharmonic Orchestra, Memphis Symphony Orchestra,[7] Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra,[7] Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra,[7] San Diego Symphony,[7] Seattle Symphony,[7] Utah Symphony,[7] Vancouver Symphony Orchestra,[7] Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra,[7] the Simón Bolívar Orchestra of Caracas, Venezuela,[7] Copenhagen Radio Orchestra,[7] National Symphony of Mexico,[7] and the Municipal Orchestra of Taipei in a tour of China.[7] He has been invited to conduct at music festivals in Aspen,[7] Grant Park in Chicago,[7] Chautauqua,[7] Meadbrook,[7] Spoleto,[7] and Saratoga Springs.[7]
Maestro Alcántara has conducted a number of the world's major opera companies, including the New York City Opera,[7] the Florida Grand Opera,[7] Washington National Opera,[7] the Mexico City Opera,[7] opera Cristoforo Colombo, Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires, and the International Opera Festival in the Canary Islands.[7]
Maestro Alcántara has recorded for Naxos Records and Marco Polo records.[10]
Biography
[edit]Theo Alcantara was born in Cuenca, Castiglia, Spain on April 16, 1941.[3][2]
He studied in Madrid at the Madrid Royal Conservatory, and obtained a diploma in piano and composition.
He then studied composition and conducting at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. In 1964, he received lessons from Herbert von Karajan.[11] He graduated with distinction, after serving as principal conductor of the Camerata Academica and Orchestra, and receiving the Lilli Lehmann Medal.[1]
He had his conducting debut at the Teatro de la Zarzuela, Madrid.
He is married to Susan Alcantara and has two children, Rafael and Carlos.
Recognition
[edit]Theo Alcantara is recognized as an important orchestra conductor in Marquis Who's Who.
He is listed in Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, ed. Nicolas Slonimsky[3]
He is listed in Operabase[12]
References
[edit]- ^ a b cuencanews.es (ed.). "El director de orquesta Theo Alcántara y el pintor Julián Grau Santos, académicos de honor de la RACAL". Retrieved 2021-09-25.
- ^ a b c d e f g h TheBiography.us; TheBiography.us. "Biography of Theo Alcántara (1941-VVVV)". thebiography.us. Archived from the original on 2022-02-06. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Nicolas Slonimsky, Laura Kuhn, Dennis McIntire. "Alcántara, Theo - Encyclopedia.com". Retrieved 2022-02-16.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Conductors fo the Jackson Symphony". www.jacksonsymphony.org. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ "A look at Grand Rapids Symphony's Music Directors since 1973". www.grsymphony.org. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ "Phoenix Symphony". www.phoenixsymphony.org. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae "Auñamendi Eusko Entziklopedia, Theo Alcántara". eusko-ikaskuntza.eus.
- ^ a b "Alcántara, Theo | Encyclopedia.com". Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ "Ann Arbor May Festival, Program, April 29, 1983". Retrieved 2022-03-21.
- ^ "Theo Alcántara". discogs.com.
- ^ encastillalamancha.es (ed.). "Theo Alcántara, discípulo de Von Karajan, académico de honor de Real Academia Conquense de Artes y Letras". Retrieved 2021-09-25.
- ^ "Theo Alcantara, Conductor". Operabase. Retrieved 2022-02-16.