Conductor and People’s Artist Yury Temyrkanov died

Conductor Yury Temyrkanov died at the age of 85 in St. Petersburg, Fontanka reports. He was known for his work with the world’s leading orchestras, at various times he directed the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater, the Royal Orchestra in London, and was the chief guest conductor of the Bolshoi Theater.

Temyrkanov is a Kabardian born near Nalchik in 1938. He graduated from the Leningrad Conservatory, where he studied with Ilya Musin. In 1965, he made his debut at the Leningrad Small Theater of Opera and Ballet (Mikhaylovsky Theater) with Verda’s opera “La Traviata”. An hour later, he received the First Prize at the All-Union Conductors Competition.

Already in the Soviet years, he began to perform in the West. In different years, he worked in the world’s leading symphony orchestras. He taught, including in the USA and Italy. Famous world academic musicians were brought to Nalchik for festivals and events under his name.

Temyrkanov was awarded the highest Soviet award – the Order of Lenin. He was a People’s Artist of the USSR and a laureate of four State Prizes, two Soviet and two Russian. He was the president of the International Roerichov Center, and, together with Vladimir Putin’s friend Sergei Roldugin, co-founded the “Talent and Success” fund, the trustee of which was the president himself.