Bernard Haitink
Sir Bernard Johan Herman Haitink CH KBE (Dutch: [ˈbɛrnɑrt ˈɦaːitɪŋk]; 4 March 1929 – 21 October 2021) was a Dutch conductor and violinist. He was the principal conductor of several international orchestras, beginning with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1961. He moved to London, as principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra from 1967 to 1979, music director at Glyndebourne Opera from 1978 to 1988 and of the Royal Opera House from 1987 to 2002, when he became principal conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden. Finally, he was principal conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 2006 to 2010. The focus of his prolific recording was classical symphonies and orchestral works, but he also conducted operas. He conducted 90 concerts at The Proms in London,[1] the last on 3 September 2019 with the Vienna Philharmonic. His awards include Grammy Awards and the 2015 Gramophone Award for his lifetime achievements.
Bernard Haitink
21 October 2021 (aged 92)
- Conductor
- classical violinist
Early life[edit]
Haitink was born on 4 March 1929 in Amsterdam,[2] the son of Willem Haitink, a civil servant who later became director of the Amsterdam electricity board, and Anna Clara (Verschaffelt), who worked for Alliance française.[3] His maternal grandmother was Jewish, and left the country during World War II.[4] He studied the violin and conducting, with Felix Hupka,[5] who conducted the school's orchestra,[6] at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. He then played the violin in orchestras before taking courses in conducting under Ferdinand Leitner in 1954 and 1955.[7]
Personal life[edit]
Haitink had five children with Marjolein Snijder, his first wife.[3] Their marriage ended in the 1970s. Two further marriages, both to musicians, also ended in divorce.[3] In 1994 Haitink married his fourth wife, Patricia (née Bloomfield), a barrister who was formerly a viola player in the orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.[39] They lived in West London.[3][40][41]
In 2019, Bärenreiter published the book Dirigieren ist ein Rätsel (Conducting is a Mystery), a collaboration between Haitink and the journalists Peter Hagmann and Erich Singer that includes personal reflections by Haitink on his life and career.[42]
Haitink died on 21 October 2021, aged 92, at his home in London.[2][43][44]
Interviews