Giuseppe Sinopoli (Italian pronunciation: [dʒuˈzɛppe siˈnɔːpoli]; 2 November 1946 – 20 April 2001) was an Italian conductor and composer.
Sinopoli was born in Venice, Italy, and later studied at the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory in Venice under Ernesto Rubin de Cervin and at Darmstadt, including being mentored in composition with Karlheinz Stockhausen. He also obtained a doctorate in medicine, with an emphasis on psychiatry, from the University of Padua, and completed a dissertation on criminal anthropology. He posthumously obtained a degree in Archeology, his thesis defense being previously arranged for the day that ended up being the day of his funeral.
Sinopoli began to make a name for himself as a composer of serial works, becoming professor of contemporary and electronic music at the Venice Conservatoire Benedetto Marcello in 1972, and a major proponent of the new movement in Venice for contemporary music. He studied conducting at the Vienna Academy of Music under Hans Swarowsky; and in Venice, founded the Bruno Maderna Ensemble in the 1970s. His single most famous composition is perhaps his opera Lou Salomé, which received its first production in Munich in 1981, with Karan Armstrong in the title role.
Sinopoli was appointed principal conductor of the Philharmonia in 1984, and served in this position until 1994, making a number of recordings with them, including music by Elgar and the complete symphonies of Mahler. Sinopoli was supposed to take over the position of chief conductor at Deutsche Oper Berlin in 1990. However, even before the start of his term he receded from his contract. He became principal conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden in 1992. He also joined the Bayreuth Festival's roster of conductors. He is best known for his intense and sometimes controversial interpretations of opera, especially works by Italian composers and Richard Strauss. Sinopoli specialized in late-nineteenth century and early-twentieth century music, from Wagner and Verdi to Strauss, Mahler and the Second Viennese School. His conducting was the object of much controversy, especially in the symphonic genre, with some berating the "eccentricity" of his interpretations, while others praised the insightfulness of his often intellectual approach to works.
Sintassi Teatrali (1968): "Frammento n. 48 da Alcmane", "Frammenti n.2-4-80 da Saffo", "Stasimo IV ed Esodo da Edipo Re di Sofocle"
5 studi su 3 parametri, musica elettronica (1969)
Musica per calcolatori analogici, musica elettronica (1969)
Strutture per pianoforte (31 August 1969)
Sunyata, Thema con varianti per soprano e quintetto d'archi su testo di Kridaya Sutra, (1970)
Numquid et unum per clavicembalo e flauto (1970) dedicato a Franco Donatoni
Isoritmi, musica elettronica (1971)
Opus Daleth per orchestra (1971 al Teatro La Fenice di Venezia diretta da Ettore Gracis)
Opus Ghimel per orchestra da camera (1971)
Opus Schir per mezzosoprano e strumenti su liriche di Rolando Damiani (1971)
Numquid per oboe, corno inglese, oboe d'amore (1972), dedicato a Lothar Faber
Hecklephon per pianoforte, clavicembalo e celesta (1972)
Per clavicembalo (1972), dedicato a Mariolina De Robertis
Isoritmi II – Volts, musica elettronica (1972)