Bedford, Steuart (John Rudolf)
Bedford, Steuart (John Rudolf)
Bedford, Steuart (John Rudolf), English conductor, brother of David (Vickerman) Bedford; b. London, July 31, 1939. He was the grandson of Liza Lehmann . He received his training at the Royal Academy of Music in London and at Lancing Coll., Oxford. In 1967 he became conductor of the English Opera Group. After it was renamed the English Music Theatre Co. in 1975, he continued to conduct it until 1980. On June 16, 1973, he conducted the premiere of Britten’s Death in Venice dit the Aldeburgh Festival, where he subsequently conducted regularly. On Oct. 18, 1974, he made his Metropolitan Opera debut in N.Y. conducting the same opera, and remained on its roster until 1977. He was music director of the English Sinfonia from 1981 to 1992. With Oliver Knussen, he served as co-artistic director of the Aldeburgh Festival from 1989. From 1969 to 1980, he was married to Norma Burrowes .
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire