Anatole Fistoulari

Who was Anatole Fistoulari?

Anatole Fistoulari was a noted 20th century conductor.

Anatole Fistoulari was born in Kiev Ukraine into a musical family. Anatole conducted for the first time at the age of seven, on the program Tchaikovsky's Symphony #6, the 'Pathetique'. In 1931, he conducted several seasons in Paris for the great Russian bass Fyodor Chaliapin, who clearly thought the world of him. This may have been the basis of Fistoulari's talent for accompanying soloists as it has been said that if you could accompany Chaliapin you could conduct for anybody. In 1933, he began his collaboration with Léonide Massine's Ballets Russes in Paris, touring in London and all over the United States in 1937. In 1939 he joined the French army and after their defeat by Hitler escaped to England and found himself in London during World War II. In 1942 Fistoulari married Anna Mahler, daughter of the famed composer Gustav Mahler. In 1943, he was appointed principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. During this period, he had a contract for 120 concerts, which was a nearly unbelievable responsibility for the youthful conductor. He needed to widen his repertoire to include items like his father-in-law's Fourth Symphony to accommodate his busy concert schedule. In 1948, he became a British citizen. He conducted opera and concert schedules especially with either the London Philharmonic or London Symphony Orchestras. He conducted operas in New York and was a guest conductor in many countries. In 1956, he toured France and the USSR with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.