Werner Torkanowsky

Who was Werner Torkanowsky?

Werner Torkanowsky was a successful German conductor in both the concert hall and opera house.

He was born in Berlin, Germany, and raised on a kibbutz in Israel, coming to the United States in 1948 to study the violin. From 1954 to 1958, however, he studied conducting under Pierre Monteux. Following his debut with the Ballets Espagnoles, he became Music Director of Jerome Robbins's "Ballet USA."

In 1959, Torkanowsky made his debut with the New York City Opera, with Gian Carlo Menotti's The Medium, with Claramae Turner in the name part. The next year, he led The Consul with the company. It was around that time that he was conductor for a film of that opera, starring Patricia Neway and Chester Ludgin. He returned to the City Opera in 1962 for, again, The Consul.

In 1961, Torkanowsky first led the New York Philharmonic as guest conductor, and was to make his first recording with that ensemble: George Rochberg's Second Symphony, for Columbia, which was released by CRI on Compact Disc, in 1997.

He went on to conduct many major orchestras, including those in Israel, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and Detroit, as well as at the Spoleto Festival.