ZDENEK KOSLER

The Czech conductor Zdeněk Košler studied under Karel Ancerl at the Prague Academy of Arts, and distinguished himself early in his career at the Besan on Conductors’ Competition and in the Dimitri Mitropoulos Competition in New York. The first prize in the second of these enabled him to work as assistant-conductor with Leonard Bernstein for one year. In Czecho-Slovakia Košler began as conductor of the Prague opera ensemble, before becoming chief conductor and music director of the opera in Olomouc and Ostrava. He spent a short time as permanent conductor of the Prague Symphony Orchestra, before moving to Berlin, where he was appointed Music Director of the Komische Oper in 1965. In 1971 he became chief conductor of the Slovak National Theatre Opera, undertaking engagements at the same time with the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, and conducting the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in Prague, in addition to guest appearances with major orchestras abroad, in Europe, Canada and the Far East. As permanent conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra Zdeněk Košler travelled widely. From 1980 until 1985 he was chief conductor and artistic director of the Prague National Theatre Opera to which he returned as chief conductor in 1990. He received the highest national honour, the title National Artist, from the Czecho-Slovakian government, while winning awards abroad for his recordings.

Albums featuring this artist are available for download from ClassicsOnline.com

Role: Conductor
Album Title	Catalogue No	Work Category