Janáček: Kát'a Kabanová; Charles Mackerras, conductor

"Charles Mackerras, an Australian conductor who played a crucial role in establishing Janacek’s operas in the West; made important discoveries about vocal ornamentation in Mozart operas; and was an elegant conductor of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operettas … died on Wednesday. … In 1947 [he] met a Czech musician who persuaded him to apply for a scholarship to study conducting in Prague. His teacher there was the eminent conductor Vaclav Talich, and it was while watching Talich prepare a performance of Janacek’s 'Katya Kabanova' that Mr. Mackerras found himself 'completely and utterly bowled over,' he said in a 2009 interview with Opera Britannia. Mr. Mackerras gave the British premiere of 'Katya Kabanova' at Sadler’s Wells in 1951 and helped bring the rest of the composer’s operas to Western houses, where they are now firmly established. He also made a renowned set of Janacek recordings for Decca" ("Charles Mackerras, Elegant Conductor, Dies at 84," New York Times, 7/15/10).
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