Eduard Napravnik

Born in Bohemia in 1839, Napravnik arrived in St. Petersburg in 1861 to conduct the private orchestra of Prince Yusupov. He became assistant conductor at the Imperial Theatre two years later and then second conductor in 1867. Two years later he succeeded Liadov as chief conductor remaining in that post until his death in 1916.

He conducted the premieres of many operas by Russian composers and composed much music of his own. Of his four operas the most successful was Dubrovsky written to a libretto by Tchaikovsky’s brother, Modest, after the story by Pushkin.

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