Kosler, Zdenëk
Kosler, Zdenëk
Kosler, Zdenëk, Czech conductor; b. Prague, March 25, 1928; d. there, July 2, 1995. He studied in Prague with Grünfeldova (piano), Jeremies and Éidky (theory and composition), and Dëdecek (conducting), and then took conducting courses with Ancerl, Brock, and Dolezil at the Academy of Music (1948–52). He made his conducting debut at the National Theater of Prague with II barbiere di Siviglia (1951), and conducted there until 1958. He then conducted the Olomouc (1958–62) and Ostrava (1962–66) operas. In 1956 he won 1st prize in the Besançon competition, and in 1963 1st prize in the Mitropoulos competition. He was chief conductor of the Prague Sym. Orch. (1966–67). He also served as Generalmusikdirektor of the Komische Oper in East Berlin (1966–68), and as chief conductor of the Slovak National Theater in Bratislava (1971–79). He was chief conductor of the Prague National Theater from 1980 to 1985, and again from 1989 to 1991. In 1974 he was made an Artist of Merit and in 1984 a National Artist by the Czech government.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire