Goldovsky, Boris

Goldovsky, Boris (1908–  ) pianist, conductor, opera producer; born in Moscow, Russia. German-trained in music, he soloed on piano with the Berlin Philharmonic at the age of 13. In 1930 he came to the U.S.A. to concertize and teach but by the end of the decade he had diverted his talents and energies to producing operas. He ran the opera program at Tanglewood (1942–62) and founded the New England Opera in 1946 and the Goldovsky Opera Institute in 1963, both Boston-based; in 1977 he became head of the opera department at the Curtis Institute. He was well known to a broad public as a commentator for the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts but to several generations of American opera singers he was known for promoting opera in English and for demanding that singers be truly able to act their roles.