Mitropoulos, Dimitri

Mitropoulos, Dimitri (dēmē`trē mētrô`plôs), 1896–1960, Greek-American conductor. A piano pupil of Busoni, in 1930 he substituted for an indisposed piano soloist and simultaneously conducted the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. He made guest appearances in the United States and was conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra (1937–49), and of the New York Philaharmonic (1949–58). Mitropoulos wrote an opera and transcribed for orchestra many of J. S. Bach's organ works. He became a U.S. citizen in 1946.

Bibliography

See biography by W. R. Trotter (1995).

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Mitropoulos, Dimitri (1896–1960) conductor; born in Athens, Greece. Trained first in Athens, he held conducting posts in Berlin and Paris before making his American debut with the Boston Symphony in 1936. From 1937 to 1949 he conducted the Minneapolis Symphony, then became coconductor of the New York Philharmonic, its principal conductor from 1951 to 1957. He frequently conducted opera and died during a rehearsal at La Scala in Milan. He was noted for his remarkable technical abilities and for his advocacy of progressive composers. He was also a notable pianist and composer.