Rudolf Bing facts for kids

Sir Rudolf Bing (born January 9, 1902 – died September 2, 1997) was an important person in the world of opera. He was born in Austria and worked in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He is best known for being the General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. He held this big job from 1950 to 1972. He became a British citizen in 1946 and was made a knight in 1971.

Rudolf Bing's Life and Career

Early Life and Work

Rudolf Bing was born in Vienna, which was part of Austria-Hungary at the time. His family was well-off, and his father was a business owner. Rudolf first worked as an apprentice in a bookshop in Vienna. Later, he studied music and art history at the University of Vienna.

In 1927, he moved to Berlin, Germany. There, he became a general manager for opera houses. This meant he was in charge of how the opera houses were run.

In Berlin, he married a Russian ballerina named Nina Schelemskaya-Schlesnaya. In 1934, because of the rise of Nazi Germany, the Bings moved to the United Kingdom. He became a British citizen in 1946. In the UK, he helped start the Glyndebourne Festival Opera. After World War II, in 1947, he also helped create the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland. He was its first director.

Leading the Metropolitan Opera

In 1949, Rudolf Bing moved to the United States. The next year, he became the General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. He kept this important job for 22 years.

During the 1960s, he oversaw a huge change for the Met. He moved the opera company from its old building on Broadway to a brand new home in Lincoln Center. This new building became a grand symbol of his time leading the Met. Many people remember his time as a very important era for the opera.

One writer, James Oestreich, described Bing's leadership in 1990. He said that Sir Rudolf Bing was very powerful at the Met. He used his strong personality to lead the opera world. He helped young artists grow and also challenged famous stars. He was in charge when the Met moved to its new, impressive building. Bing liked traditional music and plays, especially Italian operas. He cared a lot about how the shows looked on stage.

Welcoming New Artists

During Bing's time, the Met became more open to different artists. For the first time, African Americans were able to sing leading roles. Marian Anderson was the first to do this in 1955. After her, many other talented Black singers joined the Met. These included Robert McFerrin, Gloria Davy, Mattiwilda Dobbs, Leontyne Price, George Shirley, Grace Bumbry, Shirley Verrett, and Reri Grist.

Bing was known for preferring European singers. However, he also helped many American artists become successful. Singers like Roberta Peters, Leontyne Price, Anna Moffo, Sherrill Milnes, and Jess Thomas became very famous during his time. He later said that not inviting the American singer Beverly Sills to perform earlier was a mistake.

Rudolf Bing and Maria Callas

Rudolf Bing also had a famous, sometimes difficult, relationship with the very famous soprano, Maria Callas. He hired her for her Met debut in 1956. But in 1958, he canceled her contract because they disagreed about which roles she would sing.

Years later, in 1965, Bing invited Callas back to the Met for two performances of Tosca. This turned out to be her last season performing in opera.

After leaving the Met, Rudolf Bing wrote two books about his experiences. They were called 5000 Nights at the Opera (1972) and A Knight at the Opera (1981).

Personal Life and Later Years

Rudolf Bing and his wife, Nina, were married for many years. They stayed together until she passed away in 1983. They did not have any children.

In his later years, Rudolf Bing suffered from Alzheimer's disease. He passed away on September 2, 1997, at the age of 95. He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.

Honors and Awards

Rudolf Bing received several important honors for his work. In 1956, Queen Elizabeth II made him a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This was for his "services to music."

In 1971, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). This honor was for his "services to Anglo-American relations." After this, he was known as Sir Rudolf Bing. Even though he lived in America for many years, he remained a British citizen.

In 1973, he also received a special award from Austria, called the Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the Republic of Austria.

See also

In Spanish: Rudolf Bing para niños