Editing Constantin Silvestri (section)

==Career==
Silvestri's success in this 1930 [[National Radio Orchestra of Romania]] concert persuaded him to follow conducting as a career. He conducted at the [[Romanian National Opera, Bucharest|Romanian National Opera]] from 1935 on, and, following the brief tenures of two caretakers, he also directed the [[George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra|Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra]] for six years as successor to [[George Georgescu]], in disgrace as a [[Nazi]] collaborator.  Georgescu, ironically, assumed directorship of the Radio Orchestra; following Silvestri's emigration to the West, Georgescu would resume his place at the head of the Philharmonic, shortly thereafter renamed the George Enescu Philharmonic.<ref name=Contest>[http://www.concursulgeorgegeorgescu.ro/georgegeorgescuen.html Biographical sketch] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090513011615/http://www.concursulgeorgegeorgescu.ro/georgegeorgescuen.html |date=2009-05-13 }} of George Georgescu published for Concursul George Georgescu 2008 International Contest for Performing Artists, Tulcea, Romania</ref>  From 1948 to 1956, Silvestri taught at the Bucharest Conservatoire (Conservatorul din București), where he founded its Conducting Department. Among Silvestri's students were [[Sergiu Comissiona]], [[Marius Constant]], [[Anatol Vieru]], Iosif Conta, Edgar Cosma. By the 1950s Silvestri was accepting guest engagements in the USSR, Czechoslovakia and Hungary. His career in Romania came to a climax in 1958 with the highly successful Romanian premiere of ''[[Œdipe (opera)|Oedipe]]'' in Bucharest.<ref name="CRC"/>

After leaving his home country Silvestri made Paris his domicile in 1959, also travelling to Australia that year, and appearing with the [[Chicago Symphony Orchestra]] and [[Philadelphia Orchestra]] in 1960–61, and making a number of recordings in Paris, London and Vienna for EMI.<ref name="CRC"/>

Having made his UK début with the [[London Philharmonic Orchestra]] in 1957 at the Royal Albert Hall, Silvestri [[defection|defected]] to Great Britain in 1961 and assumed the post of Principal Conductor of the [[Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra]].<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.thewholenote.com/pdf_files/Sep08_Web_security.pdf|title=Wholenote|date=2008|volume=14|number=1|page=50|access-date=November 6, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mediafax.ro/cultura-media/biografia-necunoscuta-a-compozitorului-si-dirijorului-constantin-silvestri-lansata-la-gaudeamus-11717875|title=Biografia necunoscută a compozitorului şi dirijorului Constantin Silvestri, lansată la Gaudeamus|language=ro|publisher=mediafax.ro|last=Cerban|first=Madalina|date=November 24, 2013|access-date=November 6, 2014}}</ref> He raised the standard and prestige of the orchestra to one of international standing.<ref>{{cite news
|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/may/08/tchaikovsky-elgar-enigma | title=Tchaikovsky: Symphony No 3 'Polish'; Elgar: Enigma Variations: Reznicek: Donna Diana Overture; Bournemouth Symphony Orch/Silvestri | work=The Guardian | author=Tim Ashley | date=8 May 2009 | access-date=2009-09-13}}</ref> He was demanding and meticulous in rehearsal, his scores marked in different colours; however, his performances often differed from one concert to the next.<ref name="CRC"/>

Silvestri made his debut at the [[Royal Opera House, Covent Garden|Royal Opera House Covent Garden]] with ''[[Khovanshchina]]'' in the [[Shostakovich]] version (in an English translation by [[Edward Downes]]) in June 1963.<ref>[[Arthur Jacobs|Jacobs, Arthur]]. London Opera Diary – Khovanshchina. Sadler's Wells. ''[[Opera (British magazine)|Opera]]'', Vol.14 No.8, August 1963, p561-564.</ref>

He became a British citizen in 1967 shortly before his growing reputation was cut short by increasing ill health, and he died of cancer at the age of 55. His last concert was in [[Exeter]] on 29 November 1968, and he is buried at [[St Peter's Church, Bournemouth|St Peter's Church]] in [[Bournemouth]]. 
  
Biographies are available on Silvestri, by [[Eugen Pricope]], John Gritten and Ioana Raluca Voicu-Arnăuţoiu. [[King's College London]] holds a substantial documentary archive of his life and work.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://internal.kcl.ac.uk/events/event?id=9cc4ab9e-9983-4518-9937-4d68c27921e0|title = Login &#124; King's College London}}</ref>