Stuart Challender
Encyclopedia
Stuart David Challender, AO (19 February 194713 December 1991) was an Australia
n conductor, known particularly for his work with Opera Australia
and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
.
, Tasmania
in February 1947. His passion for music came from his grandmother, Thelma Driscoll, who used to sing to him as a child. In 1960, his father took him to a performance of Beethoven
's Pastoral Symphony
conducted by Tibor Paul
, from which he decided to become a conductor. In 1964, at age 17, Challender attended the Victorian Conservatorium of Music, at the University of Melbourne
. From 1966 he worked with the then Victorian Opera Company
. In 1968 he graduated from the Conservatorium and was the Victorian Opera Company's music director.
, for the Lucerne Opera. He was appointed assistant conductor at the Staatstheater Nürnberg
; then came engagements at Zürich and Basle, where he was resident conductor at the Opera House from 1976 to 1980.
Upon returning to Australia from Europe, he joined the staff of the Australian Opera
. In late 1980 Challender was assigned to conduct a single performance of The Barber of Seville
, and soon after he was appointed resident conductor and went on to conduct many of the great standards of opera.
Challender succeeded Zdeněk Mácal
as chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
from 1987 to 1991, to great acclaim. In Australia's bicentennial year (1988), he led the orchestra in a successful tour of the United States, a 12-city tour that culminated with a concert at the United Nations General Assembly
in New York to mark 200 years of European settlement in Australia. He conducted the Boston Symphony Orchestra
in Hong Kong in 1989 and in 1990 conducted the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
in four concerts.
(AO) "in recognition of services to music".
In June 1991, Stuart Challender conducted his last concert in Hobart, with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
. He died of an AIDS
-related disease on 13 December 1991.
One week later, on 20 December, at the Sydney Town Hall
, Justice Michael Kirby led the speakers at a celebration of Challender's life. A seven-minute piece for solo cello by Peter Sculthorpe
titled Threnody: In memoriam Stuart Challender was performed by David Pereira
.
In his will, Challender provided for the establishment of the Stuart Challender Foundation, to aid the training and development of future Australian conductors. He bequeathed his extensive collection of scores to the Music Library at the University of Tasmania
.
Ross Edwards
's Symphony No. 1 Da Pacem Domine (1995) was dedicated to Challender's memory.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n conductor, known particularly for his work with Opera Australia
Opera Australia
Opera Australia is the principal opera company in Australia. Based in Sydney, its performance season at the Sydney Opera House runs for approximately eight months of the year, with the remainder of its time spent in the The Arts Centre in Melbourne...
and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra , commonly known as the Sydney Symphony, is an Australian symphony orchestra based in Sydney...
.
Early life
Challender was born in HobartHobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
, Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
in February 1947. His passion for music came from his grandmother, Thelma Driscoll, who used to sing to him as a child. In 1960, his father took him to a performance of Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
's Pastoral Symphony
Symphony No. 6 (Beethoven)
Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, also known as the Pastoral Symphony , is a symphony composed by Ludwig van Beethoven, and was completed in 1808...
conducted by Tibor Paul
Tibor Paul
Tibor Paul was a Hungarian-Australian conductor.He was born in Budapest. He studied piano and woodwind under Zoltán Kodály, Hermann Scherchen and Felix Weingartner. In 1930 he founded the Budapest Concert Orchestra. In 1939 he began conducting his own orchestra...
, from which he decided to become a conductor. In 1964, at age 17, Challender attended the Victorian Conservatorium of Music, at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
. From 1966 he worked with the then Victorian Opera Company
Victoria State Opera
The Victoria State Opera, based in Melbourne, Australia, where it was founded in 1962 as the Victorian Opera Company, collapsed in 1996 due to financial difficulties. At this point, the former Australian Opera merged with this company and renamed itself Opera Australia, taking on the...
. In 1968 he graduated from the Conservatorium and was the Victorian Opera Company's music director.
Conducting career
Challender began his professional conducting career in 1970. His first engagement was Kiss Me, KateKiss Me, Kate
Kiss Me, Kate is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. It is structured as a play within a play, where the interior play is a musical version of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. The original production starred Alfred Drake, Patricia Morison, Lisa Kirk and Harold Lang.Kiss...
, for the Lucerne Opera. He was appointed assistant conductor at the Staatstheater Nürnberg
Staatstheater Nürnberg
The Staatstheater Nürnberg is a theatre building in Nuremburg. One of the largest theatres in Germany, it is housed in the Opernhaus Nürnberg, built from 1903 to 1905 in the Art Nouveau by the architect Heinrich Seeling.-Sources:*...
; then came engagements at Zürich and Basle, where he was resident conductor at the Opera House from 1976 to 1980.
Upon returning to Australia from Europe, he joined the staff of the Australian Opera
Opera Australia
Opera Australia is the principal opera company in Australia. Based in Sydney, its performance season at the Sydney Opera House runs for approximately eight months of the year, with the remainder of its time spent in the The Arts Centre in Melbourne...
. In late 1980 Challender was assigned to conduct a single performance of The Barber of Seville
The Barber of Seville
The Barber of Seville, or The Futile Precaution is an opera buffa in two acts by Gioachino Rossini with a libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was based on Pierre Beaumarchais's comedy Le Barbier de Séville , which was originally an opéra comique, or a mixture of spoken play with music...
, and soon after he was appointed resident conductor and went on to conduct many of the great standards of opera.
Challender succeeded Zdeněk Mácal
Zdenek Mácal
Zdeněk Mácal is a Czech conductor.Mácal began violin lessons with his father at age four. He later attended the Brno Conservatory and the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts, where he graduated in 1960 with top honors. He became principal conductor of the Prague Symphony Orchestra and...
as chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra , commonly known as the Sydney Symphony, is an Australian symphony orchestra based in Sydney...
from 1987 to 1991, to great acclaim. In Australia's bicentennial year (1988), he led the orchestra in a successful tour of the United States, a 12-city tour that culminated with a concert at the United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
in New York to mark 200 years of European settlement in Australia. He conducted the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
in Hong Kong in 1989 and in 1990 conducted the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1891, the Symphony makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival...
in four concerts.
Death
On 26 January 1991, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of AustraliaOrder of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(AO) "in recognition of services to music".
In June 1991, Stuart Challender conducted his last concert in Hobart, with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It is the smallest of the six orchestras established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation .-Activities:...
. He died of an AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
-related disease on 13 December 1991.
One week later, on 20 December, at the Sydney Town Hall
Sydney Town Hall
The Sydney Town Hall is a landmark sandstone building located in the heart of Sydney. It stands opposite the Queen Victoria Building and alongside St Andrew's Cathedral...
, Justice Michael Kirby led the speakers at a celebration of Challender's life. A seven-minute piece for solo cello by Peter Sculthorpe
Peter Sculthorpe
Peter Joshua Sculthorpe AO OBE is an Australian composer. Much of his music has resulted from an interest in the music of Australia's neighbours as well as from the impulse to bring together aspects of native Australian music with that of the heritage of the West...
titled Threnody: In memoriam Stuart Challender was performed by David Pereira
David Pereira
right|250pxDavid Pereira is an Australian classical cellist, considered one of the finest working today. He was Senior Lecturer in Cello at the Canberra School of Music from 1990-2008....
.
In his will, Challender provided for the establishment of the Stuart Challender Foundation, to aid the training and development of future Australian conductors. He bequeathed his extensive collection of scores to the Music Library at the University of Tasmania
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
.
Ross Edwards
Ross Edwards (composer)
Ross Edwards is an Australian composer of a wide variety of music including orchestral and chamber music, choral music, children's music, opera and film music. He is not to be confused with a British up and coming singer-songwriter of the same name.-Life:Ross Edwards was born in Sydney...
's Symphony No. 1 Da Pacem Domine (1995) was dedicated to Challender's memory.