Claudio Abbado OMRI (Italian pronunciation: [ˈklaudjo abˈbaːdo]; 26 June 1933 – 20 January 2014) was an Italian conductor who was one of the most important conductors of his time. He held positions such as music director of the La Scala opera house in Milan, principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, principal guest conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, music director of the Vienna State Opera, founder and director of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, founder and director of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, founding artistic director of the Orchestra Mozart, and music director of the European Union Youth Orchestra. He received the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize and was named Senator for life in Italy.

Biography

The Abbado family had wealth and respect in their community for many years. However, Abbado's great-grandfather lost the family's money by gambling, which hurt the family's reputation. His son, Michele Abbado, Abbado's grandfather, became a professor of botany at the University of Turin. He helped restore the family's reputation and also played music as a hobby.

Claudio Abbado was born on 26 June 1933 in Milan, Italy. His father, Michelangelo Abbado, was a violinist and a professor at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory. His father also taught him piano. His mother, Maria Carmela Savagnone, was also a skilled pianist. Claudio's brother, Marcello Abbado, later became a concert pianist, composer, and teacher at the Rossini Conservatory in Pesaro. His sister also had musical talent but did not continue in music after she married. His other brother became a successful architect.

During Claudio's childhood, Milan was occupied by Nazi forces. His mother was imprisoned for hiding a Jewish child. This experience made Claudio oppose fascism strongly. At age 11, he wrote "Viva Bartók" on a wall, which caught the attention of the Gestapo. His opposition to fascism continued into his adult life.

As a young man, Claudio attended performances at La Scala and orchestral rehearsals in Milan led by conductors like Arturo Toscanini and Wilhelm Furtwängler. He was influenced by other conductors, including Bruno Walter, Josef Krips, and Herbert von Karajan. After hearing Antonio Guarnieri conduct Claude Debussy's Nocturnes, Claudio decided to become a conductor. At 15, he met Leonard Bernstein, who said, "You have the eye to be a conductor."

Claudio studied piano, composition, and conducting at the Milan Conservatory, graduating with a piano degree in 1955. The next year, he studied conducting with Hans Swarowsky at the Vienna Academy of Music, following a recommendation from Zubin Mehta. He and Mehta joined the academy chorus to watch conductors like Bruno Walter and Herbert von Karajan in rehearsals. He also studied at the Chigiana Academy in Siena.

In 1958, Claudio made his conducting debut in Trieste. That summer, he won the international Serge Koussevitzky Competition at Tanglewood, leading to operatic conducting opportunities in Italy. In 1959, he conducted his first opera, The Love for Three Oranges, in Trieste. He made his La Scala debut in 1960. In 1963, he won the Dimitri Mitropoulos Prize, allowing him to work with the New York Philharmonic as an assistant conductor to Bernstein. He made his professional debut with the New York Philharmonic on 7 April 1963. In 1965, he performed at the RIAS Festival in Berlin, leading to an invitation to the Salzburg Festival with the Vienna Philharmonic. He made his British debut with the Hallé Orchestra in 1965 and his London Symphony Orchestra debut in 1966.

Claudio taught chamber music in Parma from 1960 to 1963.

In 1969, he became the principal conductor at La Scala and later its music director in 1972. He shared the title of joint artistic director with Giorgio Strehler and Carlo Maria Badini in 1976. During his time at La Scala, he made the opera season longer and focused on affordable performances for workers and students. He also introduced modern operas, including works by Luigi Dallapiccola and Luigi Nono, such as the world premiere of Nono's Al gran sole carico d'amore. In 1976, he brought La Scala to the United States for the American Bicentennial. In 1982, he founded the Filarmonica della Scala for orchestral concerts. He remained connected to La Scala until 1986.

Claudio made his debut with the Metropolitan Opera in 1968, conducting Don Carlo. He worked with the Vienna Philharmonic after 1971, including conducting the orchestra's New Year's Day concerts in 1988 and 1991. He received awards from the Vienna Philharmonic, including the Philharmonic Ring and the Golden Nicolai Medal.

He was the principal guest conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra from 1975 to 1979 and its principal conductor from 1979 to 1987. He was also the LSO's music director from 1984 to 1987. From 1982 to 1985, he was the principal guest conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. In 1986, he became Generalmusikdirektor (GMD) of Vienna and music director of the Vienna State Opera until 1991. During his time in Vienna, he founded the Wien Modern festival in 1988, supporting contemporary composers like György Ligeti, Pierre Boulez, and Luigi Nono.

Claudio first conducted the Berlin Philharmonic in December 1966. In the late 1980s, it was thought he might become the New York Philharmonic's music director. However, in 1989, the Berlin Philharmonic chose him as its chief conductor and artistic director, following Herbert von Karajan. During his time in Berlin, he increased the orchestra's focus on modern music, unlike Karajan, who emphasized late Romantic works. In 1992, he co-founded "Berlin Encounters," a chamber music festival. In 1994, he became artistic director of the Salzburg Easter Festival. In 1998, he announced his departure from the Berlin Philharmonic after his contract ended in 2002. In 2000, he was diagnosed with stomach cancer, leading to the removal of part of his digestive system and a three-month break from conducting in 2001.

In 2004, Claudio returned to conduct the Berlin Philharmonic for the first time since leaving, performing Mahler's Symphony No. 6. The recording won awards in 2006. The Berlin

Personal life

From his first marriage in 1956 to singer Giovanna Cavazzoni, Abbado had two children: Daniele Abbado (born 1958), who became an opera director, and Alessandra (born 1959). His first marriage ended. From his second marriage to Gabriella Cantalupi, Abbado had a son named Sebastiano. His four-year relationship with Viktoria Mullova led to Mullova’s first child, a son named Misha Mullov-Abbado, who is a jazz bassist. Abbado’s nephew, the son of his brother Marcello, is the conductor Roberto Abbado.

Conducting

Claudio Abbado was known for performing and recording many Romantic music pieces, but he had a special connection to the works of Gustav Mahler. He recorded Mahler’s symphonies multiple times, though he never completed a full set with one orchestra. His recordings included Symphonies 1–2 and 5–7 in Chicago, Symphonies 2–4, 9, and the Adagio from Symphony 10 in Vienna, Symphonies 1 and 3–9 in Berlin, and Symphonies 1–7 and 9 in Lucerne. A planned recording of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony in Lucerne was canceled due to Abbado’s health issues. This symphony was later performed and recorded in 2016 under Riccardo Chailly as a tribute to Abbado. A live recording of the Tenth Symphony’s Adagio from Berlin in 2011 was released in 2020 as part of a Berliner Philharmoniker Mahler collection.

Abbado was also recognized for his performances of modern compositions by composers such as Arnold Schoenberg, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Giacomo Manzoni, Luigi Nono, Bruno Maderna, György Ligeti, Giovanni Sollima, Roberto Carnevale, Franco Donatoni, and George Benjamin.

During rehearsals, Abbado often spoke little, sometimes simply telling orchestras to “Listen.” This reflected his belief that communication through gestures and eye contact was more effective than speaking extensively. Clive Gillinson described Abbado’s approach as quiet and reserved, noting that his performances were so strong that people remained engaged despite his limited verbal input. He called Abbado “the most natural conductor in the world,” emphasizing that Abbado conveyed his ideas through actions rather than words.

In performances, Abbado frequently conducted without using sheet music. He explained that knowing the score perfectly and understanding the composer’s life and era made him feel more confident and helped him communicate better with the orchestra.

Recordings

Claudio Abbado recorded music for many record companies, including Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Columbia (later Sony Classical), and EMI. He led many opera recordings that won awards. These included the Diapason Award in 1966 and 1967, and the Grand Prix du Disque in 1967. In 1968, he received the Deutscher Schallplattenpreis and the Dutch Edison Award. In 1973, the Vienna Mozart Society gave him the Mozart Medal. In 1997, he won a Grammy Award for Best Small Ensemble Performance (with or without conductor) for "Hindemith: Kammermusik No. 1 With Finale 1921, Op. 24 No. 1." In 2005, he won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with Orchestra) for "Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3" performed by Martha Argerich.

In 2012, Abbado was inducted into the Gramophone Hall of Fame in April. In May, he received the conductor prize at the Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards.

The following are some of Abbado's most well-known recordings:

• Beethoven, Fidelio, live recording with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, and Arnold Schoenberg Choir, 2010 (Decca)
• Beethoven, Berg, Violin Concertos, recorded with Isabelle Faust and Orchestra Mozart, 2012 (Harmonia Mundi), winner of Gramophone Classical Music Award – Concerto
• Berg, Wozzeck, live performance with the Vienna Philharmonic and Vienna State Opera, 1987 (DG)
• Berg, Lulu Suite, Altenberg Lieder, 3 Orchestra pieces, recorded with Margaret Price and London Symphony Orchestra, 1997 (DG, The Originals-Legendary Recordings), winner of Gran Premio del Disco, Madrid
• Brahms, Hungarian Dances, studio recording with the Vienna Philharmonic, 1982 (DG)
• Brahms, Symphonies Nos. 1-4, studio recording with the Berlin Philharmonic, 1988 (DG)
• Bruckner, Symphony No. 9, live recording with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, 2013 (DG), winner of Gramophone's Best Record of the Year (2015)
• Chopin, Liszt, Piano Concerto No. 1 and Piano Concerto No. 1, recorded with Martha Argerich and the London Symphony Orchestra, 1968 (DG, The Originals)
• Mahler, Symphony No. 6, live performance with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, 2005 (DG), winner of Gramophone's Best Record of the Year (2006)
• Mendelssohn, Symphonies Nos. 1-5 and Overtures, studio recordings with London Symphony Orchestra, 1985 (DG)
• Mozart, The Magic Flute, live performance with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Arnold Schoenberg Choir, 2005 (DG)
• Mozart, Piano Concertos 20, 21, 25, 27 with Friedrich Gulda and the Vienna Philharmonic, 1975, 1976 (DG)
• Mozart, Piano Concertos 20 & 25, live performance with Martha Argerich and the Orchestra Mozart at Lucerne Festival, 2014 (DG), [Abbado's final recording]
• Mozart, Violin Concertos Nos. 1–5 and Sinfonia Concertante, recorded with Giuliano Carmignola and the Orchestra Mozart, 2008 (Archiv Production, DG)
• Prokofiev, Alexander Nevsky, Lieutenant Kije, Scythian Suite, recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra and Chicago Symphony Orchestra, 1995 (DG, The Originals)
• Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No. 3 / Ravel: Piano Concerto in G, recorded with Martha Argerich and Berlin Philharmonic, 1967 (DG, The Originals), [Abbado's first DG Album], winner of Grand Prix du Disque, Deutsche Schallplatenpreis, Gran Premio del Disco, Madrid
• Rossini, Il barbiere di Siviglia, recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Ambrosian Opera Chorus, 1972 (DG, The Originals)
• Rossini, La Cenerentola, recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra and Scottish Opera Chorus, 1971 (DG), [Abbado's first opera recording]
• Rossini, L'italiana in Algeri, recorded with the Vienna Philharmonic and Vienna State Opera, 1989 (DG)
• Rossini, Il Viaggio a Reims, live performance with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the Prague Philharmonic Chorus, 1985 (DG), winner of Gramophone Classical Music Award – Opera
• Rossini, Overtures, recorded with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, 1991 (DG)
• Schubert, Symphonies No. 1-6, 8-9, studio recordings with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, 1988 (DG), winner of Gramophone Classical Music Award – Instrumental
• Tchaikovsky, Piano Concerto No. 1, live performance with Martha Argerich and the Berlin Philharmonic, 1983 (DG)
• Verdi, Macbeth, live performance with Orchestra Del Teatro Alla Scala, 1985 (DG, The Originals), winner of Orphée d'or, Record Academy Prize Tokyo, Grand Prix Du Disque, Prix Mondial du disque de Montreux, "Premi della Criticia Discografica Italiana"
• Verdi, Simon Boccanegra, studio recording with Teatro alla Scala, 1977 (DG, The Originals), winner of Grand Prix du Disque, International Record Critics Award, Edison Award

Honours and awards

• Koussevitzky Prize, 1958
• Dimitri Mitropoulos Memorial International Competition, 1963 (Won a one-year position as assistant conductor to Leonard Bernstein at the New York Philharmonic.)
• Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, July 12, 1984
• Mahler Medal, 1985
• Grand Cross of the Légion d'honneur, 1986
• City of Vienna, Ehrenring (Honor Ring), 1994
• Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, 1994
• Medal for Meritorious Service in Culture and Art, January 13, 1997
• Knight Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, 2002
• Praemium Imperiale, 2003
• Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal, 2003
• Wolff Prize in Arts, 2008

Abbado received honorary doctorates from the universities of Ferrara (1990), Cambridge (1994), Aberdeen (1986), and Havana.

On August 30, 2013, President Giorgio Napolitano appointed Abbado to the Italian Senate as a Senator for life, in honor of his "outstanding cultural achievements." Abbado became a member of the Public Education and Cultural Heritage Commission of the Italian Senate on September 25, 2013.

Videography

• New Year's Eve Concert 1992: A Richard Strauss Gala featuring musicians Martha Argerich, Kathleen Battle, Renée Fleming, Andreas Schmidt, Frederica von Stade, and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. The event was released on a DVD by Kultur Video, catalog number D4209, in 2007.
• Hearing the Silence (Documentary): Produced by the Berliner Philharmoniker and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra.
• Beethoven, Symphonies 3 & 9, Berliner Philharmoniker: A two-DVD set from Euroarts. Symphony No. 3 was performed by the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecelia in Rome in February 2001. Symphony No. 9 was performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker in Munich in May 2000 and August 2002. The DVD of Symphony No. 3 includes special camera angles that show the conductor's perspective. Symphony No. 9 features performers: soprano Karita Mattila, mezzo-soprano Violetta Urmana, tenor Thomas Moser, baritone Eike Wilm Schulte, the Swedish Radio Choir, the Eric Ericson Chamber Choir, and Chorus Master Tönu Kaljuste.