Claudio Scimone

{{Short description|Italian conductor (1934–2018)}}

File:Claudio Scimone.jpg

Claudio Scimone (23 December 1934 – 6 September 2018) was an Italian conductor.

He was born in Padua, Italy and studied conducting with Dimitri Mitropoulos and Franco Ferrara.{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=q52090/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Biography: Claudio Scimone|last=Stevenson|first=Joseph|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=3 May 2010}} He established an international reputation as a conductor, as well as a composer. He revived many baroque and renaissance works. His discography includes over 150 titles,[http://www.discogs.com/artist/861942-Claudio-Scimone 262 recordings listed at discogs.com] accessed 14 October 2018 and he won numerous prizes, including the Grand Prix du Disque of the Académie Charles Cros.

Claudio Scimone was the founder of I Solisti Veneti (the ensemble with which most of his recordings were made) and at the time of his death was the honorary conductor of the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon, Portugal.{{Cite web |url=http://www.musica.gulbenkian.pt/orquestra/index.html.en |title=The Gulbenkian Orchestra's page includes Claudio Scimone as honorary conductor, musica.gulbenkian.pt/orquestra |access-date=2016-01-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090926064247/http://www.musica.gulbenkian.pt/orquestra/index.html.en |archive-date=2009-09-26 |url-status=dead }}[https://gulbenkian.pt/musica/biography/claudio-scimone/ Claudio Scimone biography at the Gulbenkian Orchestra site] accessed 14 October 2018

With the Philharmonia of London, he conducted the first recording of Muzio Clementi’s Symphonies.[https://www.discogs.com/Clementi-Philharmonia-Orchestra-Claudio-Scimone-Symphonies-1-4/release/5297785 Recording of Clementi symphonies, by Philharmonia Orchestra under Claudio Scimone at www.discogs.com] accessed 14 October 2018

Scimone led the world to discover the importance of Vivaldi's theatrical works, beginning with the first modern performance of Orlando furioso, featuring Marilyn Horne and Victoria de Los Angeles.[http://www.tartinifestival.org/i-solisti-veneti-claudio-scimone Notes regarding Claudio Scimone at www.tartinifestival.org] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405045652/http://tartinifestival.org/i-solisti-veneti-claudio-scimone |date=2016-04-05 }} accessed 14 October 2018

In the reborn Fenice Claudio Scimone directed the first modern revival of the Venetian version of Maometto secondo by Rossini.

He also gave the modern premieres of Moses in Egypt and Oedipus at Colonus by Rossini, and The Last Judgement by Salieri.

Claudio Scimone was awarded the title of Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (the highest ranking honour of the Republic). He was also awarded an honorary law degree from the University of Padua.