Opera Scotland

Stewart Robertson Suggest updates

Born Glasgow, 22 May 1948

Scottish conductor.

Stewart Robertson is one of the most notable Scottish-born conductors of the post-Gibson generation, though has rarely worked at home since the beginning of his career, having spent most of his time in the USA.

He trained in Glasgow at the RSAMD, then at Bristol University, before studying piano with Denis Matthews in London. Conducting studies followed under Otmar Suitner at the Salzburg Mozarteum and Hans Swarowsky in Vienna. After winning a conducting prize in Austria he conducted opera in Cologne and ballet in Zurich. He worked with Scottish Opera during 1978 on the initial tours of Opera Go Round, During this period he conducted productions of L'elisir d'amore (with Dennis O'Neill as Nemorino) and Candide as well as the première of Peace by Carl Davies. These were all directed by Graham Vick. He also conducted John Lawson Graham's staging of Così fan tutte.

He then moved to the USA, where he conducted at New York City Opera. His most notable engagement has been at the opera festival at Glimmerglass, in upper New York State, where hs was Music Director 1988 to 2006, and is now Music Director Emeritus. Over the years he conducted a wide range of adventurous work, establishing that festival's excellent reputation. Latterly he conducted an important revival of The Mines of Sulphur that has been preserved on an excellent recording.

Early on, he worked with Hidden Valley Opera at Carmel in California, and has continued a long association with them. Other operatic engagements have included work at Chicago, St Louis and Utah. He was also Artistic Director of Florida Grand Opera 1998-2005 and Opera Omaha 2005-2008.

He is a noted exponent of Puccini's operas, and has conducted La bohème at the Torre del Lago festival in Italy.

He has also had a thriving orchestral career, returning to Scotland to conduct the RSNO and BBCSSO. He has also worked with the CBSO and a large number of continental orchestras. Since 2005 he has been artistic director of the Atlantic Classical Orchestra in Florida.