Opera Scotland

Ian Robertson Suggest updates

Born Dundee.

Scottish-born conductor, chorus master and pianist.

Ian Robertson trained in Glasgow at the RSAMD, where he won several awards including the Governors' Recital Prize for Pianoforte. A scholarship then allowed him to take an  Honours Degree in Music at the University of Glasgow. and then to research twentieth century piano music. He developed a significant career playing recitals in many parts of the UK and on radio, including appearances at the Edinburgh Festival and Wigmore Hall in London.

In March 1982 he was appointed Head of Music at Scottish Opera. During years with the company he conducted new stagings of The Barber of Seville and The Pearl Fishers and a television production of Wolf-Ferrari's Susanna's Secret. He also conducted many revivals, including works by Mozart (Idomeneo, Seraglio, Magic Flute); Donizetti (L'elisir d'amore); Verdi (Rigoletto) and Wagner (Meistersinger).

On leaving Scottish Opera he moved to the United States, where he joined San Francisco Opera as Chorus Master and later Chorus Director.