Kuhn, Gustav
Kuhn, Gustav
Kuhn, Gustav, Austrian conductor; b. Turrach, Aug. 28, 1947. He studied conducting at the Salzburg Mozarteum and with Swarowsky at the Vienna Hochschule für Musik; later had instruction from Maderna and Karajan, completing his education at the Univ. of Salzburg (Ph.D., 1970). He then served as conductor at the Istanbul Opera (1970–73) and 1st conductor at the Dortmund Stadttheater (1975–77). In 1978 he was named a conductor at the Vienna State Opera; also was chief conductor of the Bern Sym. Orch. and Opera (1979–81); conducted at the Glyndebourne and Salzburg festivals (1980) and made his U.S. debut at the Chicago Lyric Opera (1981). In 1983 he became Generalmusik-direktor of Bonn, a post he held until being dismissed in 1985 after he physically assaulted the director of the Stadttheater during a dispute. He then served as chief conductor of the Rome Opera (from 1987).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire