Alain Lombard
Encyclopedia
Alain Lombard is a French
conductor.
, where his studied violin with Line Talleul and conducting with Gaston Poulet. He subsequently secured an appointment at the Opéra National de Lyon
in 1961, and later became principal conductor from 1961 to 1965. He was a gold medal winner at the Dmitri Mitropoulos Competition in 1966. He made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera
in 1967, conducting Gounod's
Faust
. He was an assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic
during the music directorship of Leonard Bernstein
, and traveled with the orchestra as Associate Tour Conductor. In the US, he was music director of the Greater Miami Philharmonic Orchestra from 1967 to 1975.
Lombard assisted in the formation of the Opéra du Rhin (later the Opéra national du Rhin
) in 1972. He was music director of the Opéra du Rhin from 1974 to 1980. With the Opéra du Rhin, he conducted commercial recordings of Gounod's Faust
, Puccini's Turandot
and Mozart's Così fan tutte
. He served as music director of the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra from 1972 to 1983. He also held posts with the Paris Opéra
, the Opéra-Comique
, the Opéra National de Bordeaux, and the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine
. He was appointed director of the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux
in 1990. On 20 November 1995, Lombard was dismissed from his posts by the mayor of Bordeaux, Alain Juppé
, after concerns were expressed about the organisation's finances. Lombard became principal conductor of the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana
in 1999 and served until 2005, and now holds the title of honorary conductor with the orchestra.
Lombard's other commercial recordings include Carmen, with Régine Crespin
and Lakmé
, with Mady Mesplé
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
conductor.
Career
Lombard attended the Conservatoire de ParisConservatoire de Paris
The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...
, where his studied violin with Line Talleul and conducting with Gaston Poulet. He subsequently secured an appointment at the Opéra National de Lyon
Opéra National de Lyon
Opéra National de Lyon is an opera company in Lyon, France which performs in the Nouvel Opéra, a modernized version in 1993 of the original 1831 opera house.The inaugural performance of François-Adrien Boïeldieu's La Dame blanche was given on 1 July 1831...
in 1961, and later became principal conductor from 1961 to 1965. He was a gold medal winner at the Dmitri Mitropoulos Competition in 1966. He made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
in 1967, conducting Gounod's
Charles Gounod
Charles-François Gounod was a French composer, known for his Ave Maria as well as his operas Faust and Roméo et Juliette.-Biography:...
Faust
Faust (opera)
Faust is a drame lyrique in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré from Carré's play Faust et Marguerite, in turn loosely based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust, Part 1...
. He was an assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
during the music directorship of Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
, and traveled with the orchestra as Associate Tour Conductor. In the US, he was music director of the Greater Miami Philharmonic Orchestra from 1967 to 1975.
Lombard assisted in the formation of the Opéra du Rhin (later the Opéra national du Rhin
Opéra national du Rhin
LOpéra national du Rhin is an opera company which performs in Alsace, eastern France, and which includes the Opéra in Strasbourg, the company's ballet in Mulhouse , and the "Opéra Studio" , a training centre for young singers, in Colmar...
) in 1972. He was music director of the Opéra du Rhin from 1974 to 1980. With the Opéra du Rhin, he conducted commercial recordings of Gounod's Faust
Faust (opera)
Faust is a drame lyrique in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré from Carré's play Faust et Marguerite, in turn loosely based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust, Part 1...
, Puccini's Turandot
Turandot
Turandot is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, set to a libretto in Italian by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni.Though Puccini's first interest in the subject was based on his reading of Friedrich Schiller's adaptation of the play, his work is most nearly based on the earlier text Turandot...
and Mozart's Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti K. 588, is an opera buffa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first performed in 1790. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte....
. He served as music director of the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra from 1972 to 1983. He also held posts with the Paris Opéra
Palais Garnier
The Palais Garnier, , is an elegant 1,979-seat opera house, which was built from 1861 to 1875 for the Paris Opera. It was originally called the Salle des Capucines because of its location on the Boulevard des Capucines in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, but soon became known as the Palais Garnier...
, the Opéra-Comique
Opéra-Comique
The Opéra-Comique is a Parisian opera company, which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with, and for a time took the name of its chief rival the Comédie-Italienne at the Hôtel de Bourgogne, and was also called the...
, the Opéra National de Bordeaux, and the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine
Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine
The Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine is a French symphony orchestra based in Bordeaux. Its principal concert venue is the Palais des sports. In addition to its regular symphony concerts, the ONBA serves as the accompanying orchestra for the Opéra National de Bordeaux and the Ballet of the...
. He was appointed director of the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux
Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux
Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux, is a Theatre in Bordeaux, France, first inaugurated on 17 April 1780. It was in this theatre that the ballet La Fille Mal Gardée premiered in 1789, and where a young Marius Petipa staged some of his first ballets....
in 1990. On 20 November 1995, Lombard was dismissed from his posts by the mayor of Bordeaux, Alain Juppé
Alain Juppé
Alain Marie Juppé is a French politician currently serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He also served as Prime Minister of France from 1995 to 1997 under President Jacques Chirac and the Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs from 2010 to 2011...
, after concerns were expressed about the organisation's finances. Lombard became principal conductor of the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana
Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana
The Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana is a Swiss orchestra based in Lugano. The orchestra's primary concert venue is the Auditorio RSI....
in 1999 and served until 2005, and now holds the title of honorary conductor with the orchestra.
Lombard's other commercial recordings include Carmen, with Régine Crespin
Régine Crespin
Régine Crespin was a French singer who had a major international career in opera and on the concert stage between 1950 and 1989. She started her career singing roles in the dramatic soprano and spinto soprano repertoire, drawing particular acclaim singing Wagner and Strauss heroines...
and Lakmé
Lakmé
Lakmé is an opera in three acts by Léo Delibes to a French libretto by Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille. Delibes wrote the score during 1881–82 with its first performance on 14 April 1883 at the Opéra Comique in Paris. Set in British India in the mid 19th century, Lakmé is based on the 1880 novel...
, with Mady Mesplé
Mady Mesplé
Mady Mesplé is a French opera singer, the leading high coloratura soprano of her generation in France, sometimes heralded as the successor to Mado Robin.-Biography:...
.