Dimitri Mitropoulos

Mitropoulos, Dimitri (b Athens, 1896; d Milan, 1960). Gr.-born conductor, pianist, and composer (Amer. cit. 1946). Répétiteur, Berlin State Opera 1921–5. Cond. Odeon Cons. Orch., Athens, 1924–9. Cond., Paris SO 1932–6. US début with Boston SO 1936. Cond. Minneapolis SO (now Minnesota Orch.) 1937–49, NYPO 1949–58. NY Met début 1954. Salzburg Fest. début 1954. Cond. f.p. of Barber's Vanessa NY Met 1958 and at Salzburg Fest. 1958. Fine exponent of 20th-cent. mus. Wrote opera, Soeur Béatrice (1918), and orch. works. Int. competition for young cond. named in his memory. Died after heart attack while rehearsing Mahler's 3rd Sym.

Dimitri Mitropoulos , 1896-1960, Greek-American conductor. A piano pupil of Busoni , in 1930 he substituted for an indisposed piano soloist and simultaneously conducted the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. He made guest appearances in the United States and was conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra (1937-49), and of the New York Philaharmonic (1949-58). Mitropoulos wrote an opera and transcribed for orchestra many of J. S. Bach's organ works. He became a U.S. citizen in 1946.

Bibliography: See biography by W. R. Trotter (1995).