Roberto Abbado

conductor & artistic partner

Artist Abbado Robert 250

Roberto Abbado’s crisp, dramatic music-making, instinctive lyricism, and evocative command of varied composers and styles have made him an esteemed conductor among orchestras and opera companies today.

As an SPCO Artistic Partner, this season Abbado will conduct several Mendelssohn-focused programs and a world premiere by Italian composer Giorgio Battistelli. Abbado has performed regularly with the orchestras of Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, St. Louis, San Francisco, and Houston, as well as New York City’s Orchestra of St. Luke’s.

Born into a dynastic musical family, Abbado studied with famed conducting teacher Franco Ferrera at Venice’s La Fenice and Rome’s Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. He is the former chief conductor of the Munich Radio Orchestra and has worked throughout Europe, including with the Royal Concertgebouw, Orchestre National de France, Orchestre de Paris, Dresden Staatskapelle, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, and Israel Philharmonic, among others. In his native Italy, he has a particularly strong relationship with the great orchestras, including those of La Scala, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, RAI Torino, and Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.

Known for his work in opera, Abbado has led many new productions and world premieres at the leading opera houses and is a prolific recording conductor. In 2008, he was honored with the Abbiati Prize by the National Association of Italian Music Critics.

Featured Performances (28)
More Info

Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage, performed as part of Mendelssohn's Scottish Symphony

Don Giovanni , K. 527 (complete opera), performed as part of Mozart's Don Giovanni

Moz-Art à la Haydn for Two Violins and Strings, performed as part of Leila Josefowicz Plays Prokofiev

Moz-Art à la Haydn for Two Violins and Strings, performed as part of The SPCO in Chicago

Mystery Play (SPCO Commission), performed as part of Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony

Mystery Play (SPCO Commission), performed as part of Mendelssohn's Scottish Symphony

The Comedians, performed as part of The SPCO in Chicago

The Comedians, performed as part of Leila Josefowicz Plays Prokofiev

Variations on a Rococo Theme, performed as part of Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations

Veni, Veni, Emmanuel for Percussion and Orchestra, performed as part of Mendelssohn's Reformation Symphony

Chamber Symphony for String Orchestra, Op. 110a, performed as part of Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations

Nocturno in C for Winds, performed as part of Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony

Scherzo, performed as part of Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony

Serenade for Strings, Op. 48, performed as part of Leila Josefowicz Plays Prokofiev

Serenade for Strings, Op. 48, performed as part of The SPCO in Chicago

Suite No. 4, Mozartiana , performed as part of Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations

Symphony No. 1, performed as part of Beethoven’s 1st, 2nd, and 5th Symphonies

Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 11 , performed as part of Mendelssohn's Reformation Symphony

Symphony No. 1, Classical, performed as part of Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations

Symphony No. 2, performed as part of Beethoven’s 1st, 2nd, and 5th Symphonies

Symphony No. 3, Scottish, performed as part of Mendelssohn's Scottish Symphony

Symphony No. 3, D. 200 , performed as part of Abbado and Josefowicz

Symphony No. 5, performed as part of Beethoven’s 1st, 2nd, and 5th Symphonies

Symphony No. 5, Reformation, performed as part of Mendelssohn's Reformation Symphony

Symphony in D, performed as part of Abbado and Josefowicz

Violin Concerto, performed as part of Abbado and Josefowicz

Violin Concerto No. 1, performed as part of Leila Josefowicz Plays Prokofiev

Violin Concerto No. 1, performed as part of The SPCO in Chicago