Role

:

Conductor

Birth

:

December 20, 1888 in St. Petersburg, Russia

Death

:

November 24, 1972 in Tucson, AZ

Genre

:

Opera

 

 

Vocal

 

Alexander Smallens was a prominent conductor and musical director in the early 20th century. Born on September 1, 1889, in St. Petersburg, Russia, Smallens was the son of a Russian mother and an American father. His family moved to the United States when he was a child, and he grew up in New York City. Smallens showed an early interest in music and began studying piano at the age of six. He later studied at the Institute of Musical Art (now the Juilliard School) and the New York College of Music. He also studied conducting with Felix Weingartner in Vienna. Smallens began his career as a pianist, but soon turned to conducting. He made his debut as a conductor in 1917 with the New York Symphony Orchestra. He went on to conduct many of the major orchestras in the United States, including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Smallens was known for his work in the opera world, and he conducted many productions at the Metropolitan Opera, the Chicago Opera, and the San Francisco Opera. He was also the musical director of the New York City Opera from 1944 to 1950. Smallens was a champion of contemporary music, and he conducted many premieres of works by American composers, including Aaron Copland, Samuel Barber, and Virgil Thomson. He was also a strong advocate for the music of Igor Stravinsky, and he conducted the American premieres of several of Stravinsky's works. Smallens was a prolific recording artist, and he made many recordings with the major orchestras he conducted. He also made several recordings of contemporary music, including works by Copland and Thomson. Smallens was widely recognized for his contributions to the music world. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1983, and he was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame in 1998. Smallens died on November 24, 1972, in New York City. He was 83 years old. His legacy lives on through his recordings and the many musicians he influenced throughout his career.

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