Conductor Claudio Scimone has died.
Scimone, a disciple of Dmitri Mitropoulos and Franco Ferrara, was the founder of I Solisti Veneti. He gave first modern performances of a number of operas by Vivaldi and Rossini, as well as Salieri’s “The Last Judgment.” He also made the first recordings of the symphonies of Muzio Clementi. In all, Scimone made over 150 records.
He was awarded the title of Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, the Republic’s highest honor. He also held an honorary law degree from the University of Padua. At the time of his death, he was honorary conductor of the Gulbenkian Orchestra of Lisbon.
Scimone was 83 years-old.
Clementi’s Symphony No. 1
Vivaldi’s “Orlando Furioso,” with Marilyn Horne and Victoria de los Angeles: