Otto Klemperer (1885-1973) was a multifaceted conductor, a master at interpreting opera, the avant-garde, and the classic German repertoire. Those musicians who performed under his baton recall his sternness and indomitable spirit, which enabled him to overcome personal and historical challenges.

Otto Klemperer was born on May 14, 1885, in what was then the Silesian city of Breslau during a period when the area was ruled by the Germans. Following the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, Poland received parts of Silesia, including the city of Breslau, whose name has since been changed to Wroclaw. Like his birthplace, Klemperer would also be cast adrift by the tides of history.

Early Career

Klemperer's musical studies brought him first to Frankfort, where he studied at the Hochschule fur Musik, then at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin, where he was a student of the Russian-German composer, Hans Pfitzner. In 1905, he caught the eye of...