Edo de Waart takes baton of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra

Edo de Waart
Edo de Waart, former director of the Minnesota Orchestra, has been named music director of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. He led the Minnesota Orchestra from 1986 to 1995.
Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Orchestra

(AP) - Edo de Waart, chief conductor and artistic director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic, was named Thursday as the next music director of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. De Waart led the Minnesota Orchestra from 1986 to 1995.

He will succeed Andreas Delfs, who has announced his intention to leave after the 2008-2009 season.

De Waart is to serve as music director designate during the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 seasons, making his Milwaukee Symphony subscription concert debut in April. He will conduct a minimum of 12 weeks each season starting with 2009-2010 and will have responsibility for the orchestra's artistic profile.

The Hong Kong Philharmonic recently extended de Waart's contract through 2012. He has also been named chief conductor of the Santa Fe Opera.

De Waart is a native of Amsterdam, Netherlands. His wife, mezzo-soprano Rebecca Dopp, grew up in Middleton, near Madison.

He led the San Francisco Symphony from 1977 to 1985 and the Minnesota Orchestra from 1986 to 1995. He has been music director and conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic in the Netherlands, and gained fame as conductor of the Netherlands Wind Ensemble.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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