RAHBARI, ALEXANDER

"Rahbari is one of the extremely rare interpreters... to express the elan and unshakable hope which places this composition out of the ordinary." Repertoire magazine review of Alexander Rahbari conducting Brahms' German Requiem for Naxos.

Alexander Rahbari was born in Teheran and trained in Vienna with Gottfried von Einem, Hans Swarowsky and Karl Österrreicher.

The conductor is now an Austrian citizen and lives with his wife and three children in a beautiful farm house in lower Austria. Something of a new Renaissance man, Rahbari is a talented artist and has painted portraits of many well-known musicians. His charming home was also designed by himself.

Alexander Rahbari was the recipient of several major awards early in his conducting career. In 1977 he won the prestigious Gold Medal at the Besancon International Conductors' Competition and followed this with a silver medal at the Geneva Competition. Noticed at this and other events by Herbert von Karajan, Rahbari was invited by him to conduct the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. After this triumphant debut with the orchestra, further engagements followed: in 1980, 1982 and 1984. Karajan also paid Rahbari the enormous compliment of asking him to be his assistant at the Salzburg Easter Festival in 1980.

In 1985, Alexander Rahbari was invited by the Czech Philharmonic to become their Permanent Guest Conductor and it was during this period that he was awarded the Dvorak medal for his outstanding work with the Czech Philharmonic.

Also from 1985 Rahbari became Guest Conductor with the Belgian Radio and Television Orchestra, Brussels - the "BRTN" - and served as Chief Music Director from 1988 until 1996. It was during his time with the orchestra that he became well known for his recordings of the standard orchestral repertoire together with operas, contemporary music and choral works and in 1994 he was honoured with the Fuga Trophy by the Belgian Composers' Association for his outstanding achievements with the orchestra. In 1996 Rahbari became Chief Music Director of the Virtuosi di Praga.

In addition to his work as a conductor, as Chief Music Director of Koch Discover International (which he founded in 1992) Rahbari has discovered many young soloists and ensembles, helping them to make their first recordings and promoting them on the international scene.

For Naxos, Alexander Rahbari is best known as a conductor on Opera Classics with his redoubtable BRTN or the Czech-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra: Carmen, Cavalleria Rusticana, Madama Butterfly, I Pagliacci, Rigoletto, Tosca, La Traviata and especially Manon Lescaut which is held by many to be the finest of the modern versions.

Besides this considerable output, Alexander Rahbari has attracted warm critical praise for his recordings of symphonies and symphonic works by Debussy, Bartok, Stravinsky, Beethoven, Shostakovich, Schumann and Brahms. The German Requiem by the latter composer was a perfect framework for the creative synergy between the conductor and the soprano Miriam Gauci - so evident in their operatic work on Naxos - to blossom in a new context.

Alexander Rahbari has also found time to work for the Marco Polo label, recording albums of Flemish romantic music and a delightful pot-pourri survey of works for saxophone and orchestra.

October 2001

Albums featuring this artist are available for download from ClassicsOnline.com
101 GREAT ORCHESTRAL CLASSICS, Vol. 1	8.551141
101 GREAT ORCHESTRAL CLASSICS, Vol. 3	8.551143
20 YEARS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC: Naxos Anniversary Collection (Naxos Denmark)	8.570598
21ST CENTURY CINEMA CLASSICS	8.556698
A LA DECOUVERTE DU CLASSIQUE	8.550037-38
A Lover's Gift / From Her To Him	8.553620
A TO Z OF CLASSICAL MUSIC	8.555319-20
A TO Z OF OPERA	8.555037-38
ADAGIO CHILLOUT	8.556783
Art & Music: Cezanne - Music of His Time	8.558179
Art & Music: Degas - Music of His Time	8.558144
Art & Music: Monet - Music of His Time	8.558058
BARTOK (THE BEST OF)	8.556693
BARTOK: Bela Bartok - A Portrait (JOHNSON)	8.558200-01
BARTOK: Concerto for Orchestra / Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta	8.550261
BEETHOVEN / BRAHMS: Favourite Overtures	8.553262
BEETHOVEN: Symphonies Nos. 3 and 8	8.550407
BENEDICTUS - CLASSICAL MUSIC FOR REFLECTION AND MEDITATION	8.556705
BERCEUSE - MUSIC OF PEACE AND CALM	8.553843
BEST OF NAXOS 4	8.550004
BEST OF OPERA	8.570048
BEST OF OPERA I	8.571079
BEST OF OPERA II	8.571080
BEST OF OPERA, VOL. 1	8.553166
BEST OF OPERA, VOL. 2	8.553167
BEST OF OPERA, VOL. 3	8.553168
BEST OF OPERA, VOL. 4	8.554682
BEST OF OPERA, VOL. 5	8.554683
BIZET (THE BEST OF)	8.556671
BIZET: Carmen	8.660005-07
BIZET: Carmen (Highlights)	8.550727
BRAHMS (THE BEST OF)	8.556659
BRAHMS / LISZT: Piano Concertos	8.554678
BRAHMS: German Requiem (A), Op. 45	8.550213
BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 2 / SCHUMANN, R.: Introduction and Allegro appassinato, Op. 92	8.550506
BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 2 / SCHUMANN: Piano Concerto in A Minor	8.553268
BRAHMS: Serenade No. 1 / TCHAIKOVSKY: Serenade for Strings	8.553227
BRAHMS: Symphony No. 1 / Haydn Variations	8.550278
BRAHMS: Symphony No. 2 / Serenade No. 2	8.550279
BRAHMS: Symphony No. 3 / Serenade No. 1	8.550280
BRAHMS: Symphony No. 4 / Tragic Overture	8.550281
BRAHMS: The Best of Brahms	8.551109
CAFE CLASSICS (AUSTRALIA ONLY)	8.555258-59
CENTRE (THE), Vol. 1	8.554901-02DX
CENTRE (THE), Vol. 2	8.554903-04DX
CINEMA CLASSICS	8.571090
CINEMA CLASSICS 1998	8.551182
CINEMA CLASSICS 2004	8.556813
CINEMA CLASSICS 2005	8.556814
CINEMA CLASSICS, Vol. 1	8.551151
CINEMA CLASSICS, Vol. 1	8.556621
CINEMA CLASSICS, Vol. 2	8.556622
CINEMA CLASSICS, Vol. 3	8.556623
CINEMA CLASSICS, Vol. 5	8.556625
CINEMA CLASSICS, Vol. 6	8.556626
CINEMA CLASSICS, Vol. 7	8.556627
CINEMA CLASSICS, Vol. 11	8.551171
CINEMA CLASSICS, Vol. 11	8.556631
CLASSICAL FAVOURITES (Den Klassiske Onskekonserten)	8.503129
CLASSICAL MOMENTS 3: Classical Music to Relax to	8.555359
Classical Music From TV Advert	8.554589
Classical Music Start-Up Kit, Vol. 2: 1825-1945	8.550835
CLASSICS AT THE MOVIES - SUSPENSE	8.556810
Classics at the Movies: Comedy 1	8.556811
Classics at the Movies: Comedy 2	8.556812
CLASSICS AT THE MOVIES: DIVAS	8.556806
Classics at the Movies: Love	8.556805
Classics at the Movies: Romance	8.556804
Classics at the Movies: Thrillers	8.556809
Classics from the Movies	8.554576
Collection: A Lover's Gift - From Him To Her	NA118712
Collection: A Lover's Gift - From Him To Her	NA138912
DEBUSSY (THE BEST OF)	8.556663
DEBUSSY (THE VERY BEST OF)	8.552127-28
DEBUSSY : Orchestral Works	DVDI 1011
DEBUSSY : The Best Of Debussy	8.551113
DEBUSSY: Images / Le martyre de Saint Sebastien	8.550505
DEBUSSY: Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune / La Mer	8.553275
DEBUSSY: Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune / Nocturnes	8.550262
DISCOVER CHORAL MUSIC	8.558198-99
DISCOVER CLASSICAL MUSIC	8.550008-09
Discover Music of the Twentieth Century	8.558168-69
DISCOVER OPERA	8.558196-97
Discover the Classics, Vol. 2	8.554246-47
DISCOVER THE CLASSICS, VOL. 1	8.550035-36
DISCOVER THE SYMPHONY (1998 edition)	8.554337-38
DUETS AND ARIAS FROM ITALIAN OPERAS	8.550684
Essential Puccini: Gianni Schicchi	8.660111
EXPLOSIVE CLASSICS	8.554581
EXTREME CLASSICS	8.557941-42
FAMOUS ARIAS AND DUETS: Verdi, Mozart, and Puccini	8.571106
FAMOUS OPERA CHORUSES	8.571078
FAMOUS OVERTURES	8.553627
Fantasia	8.551166
Flemish Romantic Music	8.223418
French Overtures (Famous)	8.553264
GREAT ORCHESTRAL CLASSICS 1 (Australia)	8.570036
GREAT ORCHESTRAL CLASSICS 3 (Australia)	8.570038
Intermezzo: Intermezzi from Operas	8.554703
Intermezzo: Intermezzos from Carmen, Cavalleria Rusiticana, Pagliacci and more	8.570046
Italian Opera Choruses	8.553963
KLASSISKA FAVORITER: OPERA (Classical Favourites: Opera)	8.503021
Largo al Factotum	8.555922DX
LARGO AL FACTOTUM: Great Operatic Arias for Baritone	8.555922
LEONCAVALLO: Pagliacci	8.660021
MASCAGNI: Cavalleria Rusticana	8.660022
MILHAUD: Scaramouche / GLAZUNOV: Saxophone Concerto / IBERT: Concertino da Camera	8.223374
Music for Kids CD 7: Music from Planet Earth	8.558020
Music for Kids CD 9: Music from Planet Earth	8.558022
Music for Saxophone and Orchestra	8.554784
Music Together	8.557363DX
Naxos Audiophile Kingdom	8.554915DX
NESSUN DORMA AND OTHER FAVOURITE ITALIAN TENOR ARIAS	8.554065
NIGHT AT THE OPERA (A)	8.554575
O MIO BABBINO CARO - FAMOUS SOPRANO ARIAS FROM ITALIAN OPERA	8.555796
ONCE UPON A TIME	8.557953-54
OPERA AT THE MOVIES	8.551164
OPERA WITHOUT WORDS - The Most Famous Overtures, Preludes, and Interludes in Opera	8.557945-46
OPERA'S GREATEST MOMENTS	8.557926-27
Pearl Fishers and Other Famous Operatic Duets	8.555797
PUCCINI (THE BEST OF)	8.556670
PUCCINI (THE VERY BEST OF)	8.552119-20
PUCCINI : The Best OF Puccini	8.551120
PUCCINI: Madama Butterfly	8.660015-16
PUCCINI: Madama Butterfly (Highlights)	8.553152
PUCCINI: Manon Lescaut	8.660019-20
PUCCINI: Manon Lescaut (Highlights)	8.554705
PUCCINI: Tosca	8.660001-02
PUCCINI: Tosca (Highlights)	8.553153
PUCCINI: Turandot	8.660089-90
Requiem: Classical Music for Reflection and Meditation	8.556703
SCHUMANN : Best of Schumann (The)	8.551112
SCHUMANN, R. (THE BEST OF)	8.556662
SCHUMANN, R. : Symphonies Nos. 1 and 3	8.550485
SCHUMANN, R.: Piano Concerto in A minor / Introduction and Allegro appassionato	8.557547
SCHUMANN, R.: Symphony No. 1 / BRAHMS: Symphony No. 1	8.553228
SENTIMENTAL CLASSICS	8.550227DX
SHOSTAKOVICH (THE VERY BEST OF)	8.552129-30
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphonies Nos. 5 and 9	7181
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphonies Nos. 5 and 9	8.550427
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 10	8.550326
SOMMER	8.503045
SOPRANO ARIAS FROM ITALIAN OPERAS (Miriam Gauci)	8.550606
STOR MUSIK FOR SMA ORON (Big Music for Little Ears) - Children's Music Compilation	8.503156
STRAVINSKY (THE BEST OF)	8.556685
STRAVINSKY: Firebird (The) / FALLA: Three-Cornered Hat (The)	8.553274
STRAVINSKY: Firebird (The) / Petrushka / Suites Nos. 1 and 2	8.550263
STRAVINSKY: Firebird (The) / The Rite of Spring	8.554060
STRAVINSKY: Rite of Spring (The) / Card Game	8.553217
STRAVINSKY: Sacre du Printemps (Le) / Jeu de Cartes	8.550472
SVEN GORAN ERIKSSONS - Klassiska Favoriter	8.503135
SVENSKA FOLKETS ONSKEKONSERT	8.557192
THE PEARL FISHERS DUETS	8.554587
THE ULTIMATE LULLABY COLLECTION	8.570514-15
TIAN, Hao Jiang: Operatic Arias for Bass	8.557442
VERDI (THE BEST OF)	8.556669
VERDI (THE VERY BEST OF)	8.552121-22
VERDI: Rigoletto	8.660013-14
VERDI: Rigoletto (Highlights)	8.553042
VERDI: Traviata (La)	8.660011-12
VERDI: Traviata (La) (Highlights)	8.553041
Voices of Angels	8.503071
WAGNER, R.: Overtures	8.557055
WAGNER: Orchestral Highlights	8.571073