MARK ELDER, one of the outstanding British conductors of his generation, has won his reputation in the fields of opera and symphony in the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States. He was Music Director of English National Opera between 1979 and 1993, and from 1989 to 1994 was Music Director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. He also held the post of Principal Guest Conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra from 1992 to 1995. Since making his North American debut in 1983 with the Chicago Symphony, he performs here regularly with such ensembles as the Cleveland Orchestra, the Montreal Symphony, the National Arts Centre Orchestra (Ottawa), the Los Angeles Philharmonic (where he last appeared in 1995), and the symphony orchestras of Atlanta, Baltimore, Denver, Indianapolis, Minnesota, Seattle, St. Louis, and Toronto. Elder’s summer seasons have included appearances at Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival, the Aspen Music Festival, the Grand Teton Music Festival, and, during his tenure with the Rochester Philharmonic, annual appearances with that orchestra at the Vail Festival in Colorado. His years as Music Director of English National Opera brought the company to a pinnacle of achievement and international recognition. He conducted a wide repertoire ranging from the classical to the contemporary, including a number of world premieres, with several new Verdi productions highlighting his tenure.

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