Theo Alcántara is a Spanish-born conductor of both orchestra and opera, primarily in the United States, South America, and Spain.
Notable permanent and guest conducting roles
Maestro Alcántara has held the following permanent appointments:
* Deputy Director of the Camerata Academica and the
Orchestra at the Akademie Mozarteum in Salzburg
* 1964–66, conductor of the
Frankfurt Opera, Frankfurt, Germany
* 1967–74, director of the opera workshop and symphony orchestra of the
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...
, Ann Arbor, Michigan
* 1968–72,
Jackson Symphony Orchestra in Jackson, Michigan
* 1973–78, Western Michigan Opera (now
Opera Grand Rapids)
* 1973–78,
Grand Rapids Symphony, Grand Rapids, MI
* 1978–89,
Phoenix Symphony, Phoenix AZ, and laureate conductor 1989-93
* 1981-84 Artistic Director of the Music Academy of the West, Summer Festival, Santa Barbara, California
* 1987-2002
Pittsburgh Opera
* 1990–93, Artistic Director of the Caracas Opera and Caracas International Opera Festival
* 1993-2002 Artistic Director of the
Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa
Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa (BOS) (Spanish: Orquesta Sinfónica de Bilbao, unofficial English translation: Bilbao Symphony Orchestra) is a symphony orchestra based in Bilbao, Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Country. History
The o ...
* 1994- Principal Guest Conductor of the
National Orchestra of Spain
On May 27, 1978, he made his debut with the
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...
in New York, conducting
Don Giovanni
''Don Giovanni'' (; K. 527; full title: , literally ''The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Its subject is a centuries-old Spanish legen ...
.
Maestro Alcántara has recorded for Naxos Records and Marco Polo records.
Biography
Theo Alcantara was born in
Cuenca,
Castiglia, Spain on April 16, 1941.
He studied in
Madrid
Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
at the
Madrid Royal Conservatory, and obtained a diploma in piano and composition.
He then studied composition and conducting at the
Mozarteum in
Salzburg
Salzburg is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach, Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Alps moun ...
, Austria. In 1964, he received lessons from
Herbert von Karajan. He graduated with distinction, after serving as principal conductor of the Camerata Academica and Orchestra, and receiving the
Lilli Lehmann Medal.
He had his conducting debut at the
Teatro de la Zarzuela, Madrid.
He is married to Susan Alcantara and has two children, Rafael and Carlos.
Recognition
Theo Alcantara is recognized as an important orchestra conductor in
Marquis Who's Who
Marquis Who's Who, also known as A.N. Marquis Company ( or ), is an American publisher of a number of directories containing short biographies. The books usually are entitled ''Who's Who in...'' followed by some subject, such as ''Who's Who in A ...
.
He is listed in Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, ed. Nicholas Slonimsky
[ ]
He is listed in Operabase
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alcantara, Theo
Living people
Spanish conductors (music)
Place of birth missing (living people)