Herbert Blomstedt, conductor of great orchestras for seven decades, dies at 99
Renowned conductor Herbert Blomstedt has passed away at the age of 99, marking the end of a seven-decade career leading the world's most prestigious orchestras. Known for his longevity and musical integrity, he continued to perform well into his late 90s despite health challenges.
Why it matters
Blomstedt was a towering figure in classical music, and his death represents the loss of one of the last links to a mid-20th-century era of orchestral conducting.
Herbert Blomstedt, an American-born, Swedish conductor whose remarkably long career saw him leading many of the world's major orchestras, including the San Francisco Symphony for 10 years, died on Wednesday at his home in Gothenburg, Sweden. He was 99.
His death was announced in a statement released by his management company, KünstlerSekretariat am Gasteig.
In a profession routinely flush with elderly practitioners, Blomstedt, year after year, retained his title as the world's oldest active conductor. He worked into his late 90s, conducting concerts this year, at the age of 98, with the Detroit Symphony and the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig, Germany.
"Retirement is not a question of age," Blomstedt told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "It should be flexible. I just love the music so much that I just can't give up." And he didn't.
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