Fritz Reiner

Was scheduled to conduct a series of performance of Wagner's "Gotterdammarung" at the Metropolitan Opera during the 1963-1964 season but died of a second heart attack just as rehearsals were about to begin. The performances were ultimately led by Josef Rosenstock.

A massive heart attack suffered at the beginning of the 1959-1960 Chicago Symphony Orchestra season forced Reiner to cancel nearly all of his performances with the orchestra during that period. When he ultimately returned to the podium, he was noticably thinner and weaker and had to conduct from a sitting position. He was never really a well man afterwards, and stepped down as Music Director at the end of the 1962-1963 season, succeeded by Jean Martinon.

Reiner was conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1953 until 1962. He was the first conductor to make stereo recordings with that orchestra.

From 1948 until 1953, he conducted performances at the Metropolitan Opera.

Reiner conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra from 1938 to 1948.

He began teaching conducting classes at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, in 1932.

Reiner first came to the United States in 1922. From 1922 to 1931 he was conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Fritz Reiner was born on December 19, 1888 in Budapest, Hungary as Reiner Frigyes. He was married to Carlotta Irwin, Berthe Gerster-Gardini, Elca Jelacin and Charlotte Benedict.