Otto Klemperer

German conductor and composer, born 14 May 1885 in Breslau, Lower Silesia, German Empire (today Wrocław, Poland) and died 6 July 1973 in Zürich, Switzerland. Klemperer went on to hold a number of positions, in Hamburg (1910–1912); in Barmen (1912–1913); the Strasbourg Opera (1914–1917); the Cologne Opera (1917–1924); and the Wiesbaden Opera House (1924–1927). From 1927 to 1931, he was conductor at the Kroll Opera in Berlin. In 1935, he migrated to the United States, residing in California after being appointed music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, a position he held until 1939. After World War II, he returned to Europe to work at the Budapest Opera (1947–1950). In 1954, Walter Legge, engaged Klemperer to conduct the Philharmonia Orchestra in performances of music by Beethoven, Brahms and much more repertoire for EMI Records. Klemperer became the first principal conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra in 1959. His last concert was in September 1971. Father of Werner Klemperer and Lotte Klemperer, cousin of Viktor Klemperer.