Claudio Abbado is dead
The Italian conductor Claudio Abbado, who was closely associated with the Lucerne Festival, has died in Bologna at the age of 80, according to international press reports.
According to the Lucerne Festival biography, Abbado was head of La Scala in Milan, served as director of the Vienna State Opera, succeeded Herbert von Karajan at the helm of the Berlin Philharmonic, initiated the festival Vienna Modern and steered the fortunes of the Salzburg Easter Festival.
With the European Union Youth Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the Orchestra Mozart, five internationally acclaimed orchestras owe their existence to him.
