Hinrichs, Gustav
Hinrichs, Gustav
Hinrichs, Gustav, German-American conductor, teacher, and composer; b. Ludwigslust, Dec. 10, 1850; d. Mountain Lake, N.J., March 26, 1942. He studied violin and piano with his father, and received training in composition in Hamburg from Marxsen. He began conducting at 15, and at 20 went to San Francisco, where he conducted the Fabbri Opera. In 1885 he went to N.Y. as asst. conductor to Theodore Thomas and the American Opera Co. In 1888 he founded his own opera company in Philadelphia, where he conducted the U.S. premieres of Cavalleria rusticana (Sept. 9, 1891) and Manon Lescaut (Aug. 29, 1894); he also conducted the U.S. premiere of Pagliacci in N.Y. (June 15, 1893). On Oct. 14, 1899, he conducted J7 Barbiere di Siviglia with the Metropolitan Opera Co. during its visit to Syracuse, N.Y. On Oct. 19, 1899, he conducted Faust at the Metropolitan Opera in N.Y, remaining on its roster for the season and returning there for the 1903-04 season. He taught at the National Cons, and at Columbia Univ. (1895–1906). Among his works were the opera Onti-Ora (Philadelphia, July 28, 1890, composer conducting), a symphonic suite, and some vocal pieces.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire