ABSTRACT
Hungarian/American conductor and pianist, born in Budapest. He grew up in Vienna, studied piano and composition there, and made his debut in a concert of his own music at age 11. Five years later he conducted the Vienna Symphony Orchestra; then the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1915 he was engaged by Richard Strauss to conduct at the Berlin Staatsoper, and was soon in demand as a conductor of opera and symphony throughout Europe. His American debut was in St. Louis on 24 Jan 1930. From 1942 to 1946 he conducted at the Metropolitan Opera; in 1946 he became an American citizen. In 1946 he was appointed music director of the Cleveland Orchestra, remaining in that post until his death.
