Julius Rudel Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Awardee

Awarded 2000

On 5 April 2000 the renowned conductor Julius Rudel (1921-2014), a longtime champion of Weill’s music, was presented with the fifth Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Award. Foundation president Kim H. Kowalke recognized Maestro Rudel at the end of his performance of Weill’s Der Jasager at New York City’s Japan Society. For twenty-two years the General Director of New York City Opera, Maestro Rudel had been responsible for introducing many of Weill’s works to new American audiences. In the late 1950s he included both Street Scene and Lost in the Stars in the home-grown repertory of City Opera; in 1965 he added The Threepenny Opera. In 1980 a new adaptation of Der Silbersee, directed by Harold Prince, served as his farewell to the company; it was recorded by Nonesuch. Rudel also recorded Lost in the Stars, Symphony no. 2, Concerto for Violin, and Kleine Dreigroschenmusik. In May 1999 he conducted the U.S. premiere of Die Bürgschaft at Spoleto Festival USA, the premiere recording of which was released by EMI Classics.