Russian-born Israeli Conductor Yuri Ahronovich died Thursday in Cologne, Germany of a pulmonary infection at age 69, European news services report.
Ahronovich, who left the Soviet Union as a dissident in 1972 and never returned, conducted throughout Europe after making his Western debut with the opera in Cologne in 1973. From 1982–87 he was principal conductor of the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Ahronovich refused throughout his career to conduct Wagner, a composer he considered a virulent anti-Semite.
A report on the SwissInfo news service's Web site says the conductor, who maintained homes in Cologne and Jerusalem, will be buried in Israel.
Ahronovich, who was supposed to lead the Orchestra of Tuscany in its season-opening concerts next week, will be replaced by Roberto Abbado, the newspaper La Repubblica of Florence reports.
— Michael Markowitz
"Musica: morto maestro Yuri
Ahronovitch"
SwissInfo.com - 31 October 2002
"E' morto Yuri Ahronovitch
all'Ort va Roberto Abbado"
La Repubblica
[Florence] - 1 November 2002
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