Issay Dobrowen
I am rather fascinated by this figure having come across him early in life and being impressed especially by hos recording of the overture to 'Russlan and Ludmilla' which was the first I had ever heard at the time.
Later, my Bolshoi conductors Mark Ermler and Gennady Rozhdestvensky filled me in on the Dobrowen-lore that still esxisted in the annals of the Bolshoi orchestra, viz how his name was originally Barabeitchik, how he was Lenin's favourite pianist, how there was a Barabeitchik in the percussion section of the orchestra for a long time after Issay had emigrated (a brother?), etc.
Then on reading Ingmar Bergman's autobiography, 'The Magic Lantern' I was amazed and touched to learn that Dobrowen had been a formative influence on Bergman who had assisted him on operatic productions in Stockholm. I knew that Dobrowen had produced as well as directed opera but was delighted to learn that he seems to have been an xcellent stage director as well as conductor.
I must say that is something I often had in mind for the conductors I represented. I had to put up with all their grumbling about what the producers were doing (viz. Janowski) so why didn't they take care of the production as well as the musical direction? Klemperer had demonstrated it could be done - now Dobrowen. It never happened but I still think it possible and desirable.
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