Keri-Lynn Wilson

Wilson was born on May 17, 1967, in Milwaukee in the U.S. state of Wisconsin to an accomplished musical family. The richly artistic tradition into which she was born includes a grandfather who was an operatic baritone and a pianist grandmother. Her mother, Lynn Sharples, was a professor of English at the Université de Toulon, and her father, Carlisle Wilson, is a violinist and music educator.{{Cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/keri-lynn-wilson-emc |title=Keri-Lynn Wilson |encyclopedia=Canadian Encyclopedia |last1=Mihalovic |first1=John A |date=December 16, 2013 |access-date=December 3, 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/03/style/weddings-celebrations-keri-wilson-peter-gelb.html |title=Weddings/Celebrations; Keri Wilson, Peter Gelb |date=August 3, 2003 |newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=December 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702042420/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/03/style/weddings-celebrations-keri-wilson-peter-gelb.html |archive-date=July 2, 2012 |url-status=live}}

As a child, she studied flute, piano and violin, was a member of the Winnipeg Youth Orchestra and performed as a flute soloist with the Winnipeg Symphony and Calgary Philharmonic. She also attended the Banff School of Music summer program. Later, she continued her studies in the United States at the Juilliard School, where she studied flute under Julius Baker. Mounting interest in conducting put her under the tutelage of Otto-Werner Mueller. During her student years at Juilliard, she first performed at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall in May 1989.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/14/arts/debuts-a-clarinetist-a-flutist-and-a-pianist-in-recitals.html |title=Debuts; A Clarinetist, a Flutist And a Pianist in Recitals |author=Allan Kozinn |date=May 14, 1989 |work=New York Times|access-date=December 27, 2013}} She graduated from Juilliard with master's degrees in both flute and conducting. She made her debut with the National Arts Center Orchestra of Canada at the age of 23.{{Cite web |url=https://imgartists.com/roster/keri-lynn-wilson/ |title=Keri-Lynn Wilson |date=April 22, 2016 |website=IMG Artists |language=en-GB|access-date=October 21, 2019}}

From 1994-1998, Wilson was the associate conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. After her time in Dallas, she entered the international circuit as a guest conductor for both opera and symphonic repertoire with extensive engagements throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Australia. Wilson became chief conductor of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra in 2013, becoming the first female chief conductor in the orchestra's history. She held the post through the 2014–2015 season.{{cite news |title=Šef dirigent Uroš Lajovic zapušča Slovensko filharmonijo |url=https://www.rtvslo.si/kultura/glasba/sef-dirigent-uros-lajovic-zapusca-slovensko-filharmonijo/420658 |work=RTV Slovenija |date=April 24, 2017 | access-date=December 27, 2013}}

Her operatic work has brought her to the Bayerische Staatsoper, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Vienna State Opera, Bolshoi Opera, Mariinsky Theater,  English National Opera, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Rome Opera, Palermo Opera, Parma Opera, Verona Arena, Macerata Festival, Puccini Festival, Los Angeles Opera, Washington Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Leipzig Opera, Czech National Opera, Nice Opera, Bilbao Opera, Royal Swedish Opera, Norwegian National Opera, Warsaw Opera, Bucharest National Opera, Israeli Opera, New National Theater of Tokyo, Opera Australia, and the Juilliard Opera, amongst others.{{Cite web |url=https://www.staatsoper.de/biographien/detail-seite/wilson-keri-lynn.html |title=Wilson Keri-Lynn |last=Staatsoper |first=Bayerische |website=Bayerische Staatsoper |language=de |access-date=October 23, 2019 |archive-date=October 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191023203857/https://www.staatsoper.de/biographien/detail-seite/wilson-keri-lynn.html |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.hilbert.de/kuenstler-details.php?id=114 |title=Hilbert Artists Management, Keri-Lynn Wilson |website=www.hilbert.de |access-date=October 23, 2019 |archive-date=February 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224094328/http://www.hilbert.de/kuenstler-details.php?id=114 |url-status=dead }}

Her operatic repertoire includes: Eugene Onegin, Pique Dame, Boris Godunov, Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk district, Iolanthe, Rusalka, Rigoletto, La Traviata, Simon Boccanegra, Nabucco, Don Carlo, Aida, Otello, Un Ballo in Maschera, Attila, Il Trovatore, Falstaff, Cosi fan tutte, Don Giovani, Carmen, Faust, Romeo et Juliette, Manon Lescaut, Tosca, La bohème, Turandot, Madama Butterfly, La fanciulla del West, Gianni Schicchi, La Rondine, Tannhäuser, Der Fliegende Holländer, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Sigismondo, La Cenerentola, La Fille du Régiment, L'Elisir d'Amore, Lucia Di Lammermoor, Les Mamelles de Tirésias, L'Heure Espagnol, Hänsel und Gretel, Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci, The Merry Widow and Der Kaiser Von Atlantis.

Her symphonic and concert work has brought her to Los Angeles, St. Louis, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Seattle, Ravinia Festival, Dallas, Houston, New York, Hannover, Aachen, Düsseldorf, Wiesbaden, Munich, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Paris, Vienna, Milan, Verona, Florence, Prague, Budapest, Moscow, Kyiv, St. Petersburg, Madrid, Bilbao, Oviedo, Bratislava, Zagreb, Reykjavik, Jerusalem, Hong Kong, Beijing, Toronto, Montreal and Caracas, amongst others.{{Cite web |url=https://www.keri-lynnwilson.com/biography |title=Biography |website=keri-lynnwilson.com |language=en |access-date=October 23, 2019}}{{self published source|date=January 2023}}

Her repertoire ranges from Classical to Contemporary music. Personal favorites include Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Mahler, Bruckner, Beethoven, and Brahms.

In 2020, she was nominated for an Opus Klassik 2020 Award as "Conductor of Year," in recognition of her work on the recording of Rossini's Sigismondo.{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}

In April 2022, she came up with the idea for the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra, eager to find a way to help musicians and others in Ukraine.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/25/arts/music/ukrainian-musicians-world-tour.html |title=Denouncing War, Ukrainian Musicians Unite for a World Tour |first=Javier C. |last=Hernández |newspaper=The New York Times |date=April 25, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221008034922/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/25/arts/music/ukrainian-musicians-world-tour.html |archive-date=October 8, 2022}} In the summer of 2022, she embarked on a European and North American tour with the orchestra, including an acclaimed performance at the BBC Proms: "Brahms's Symphony No 4 – conducted by Wilson without score and with serious guts – had raw swagger to burn".{{Cite web |title=Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra review – tears and roars of delight for new national ensemble |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/jul/31/proms-royal-albert-hall-ukrainian-freedom-orchestra-review-tears-and-roars-of-delight-for-new-national-ensemble|access-date=July 31, 2022 |website=The Guardian |date=July 31, 2022 |language=en-UK}}

To commence her 2022/23 season, Wilson made her Metropolitan Opera debut, conducting Shostakovich's Lady MacBeth of Mtsensk.{{Cite web |title=Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk |url=https://www.metopera.org/season/2022-23-season/lady-macbeth-of-mtsensk/ |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=www.metopera.org |language=en}} Following on from this, she conducted concerts with the Orchestre national de Bordeaux Aquitaine{{Cite web |title=Marina Prudenskaya {{!}} @operabordeaux |url=https://www.opera-bordeaux.com/saison-symphonique-grandes-voix-marina-prudenskaya-24222 |access-date=November 15, 2022 |website=www.opera-bordeaux.com |language=fr}} and the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra.{{Cite web |title=To mark the anniversary of violinist Rusnė Mataitytė |url=https://www.filharmonija.lt/en/whats-on/events/to-mark-the-anniversary-of-violinist-rusne-mataityte.html |access-date=November 15, 2022 |website=EasyWeb Demo |language=en}} In November, she made her debut at Teatro Colon, conducting Tosca.{{Cite web |title=Tosca |url=http://teatrocolon.org.ar/en/season-2022/opera/produccion/tosca |access-date=November 23, 2022 |website=Teatro Colón |language=en}} In 2023 Wilson returned to Wiesbaden to conduct the Hessisches Staatstheater Orchester.{{Cite web |last=Wiesbaden |first=Hessisches Staatstheater |title=Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden - 4. Sinfoniekonzert, Kaija Saariaho »Du cristal« Edvard Grieg Klavierkonzert a-Moll op. 16 Jean Sibelius Sinfonie Nr. 2 D-Dur op. 43 - 11.01.2023, 19:30 |url=https://www.staatstheater-wiesbaden.de/programm/spielplan/siko-4-2022-2023/8646 |access-date=January 12, 2023 |website=www.staatstheater-wiesbaden.de |language=de}} She then conducted the Filarmonia Arturo Toscanini in Parma, Italy.{{Cite web |title=WILSON, POGORELICH |url=https://www.fondazionetoscanini.it/it/concerti/wilson_pogorelich-pianoforte-17-febbraio-2023/ |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=La Toscanini |language=it-IT}} In February 2023, on the eve of the first anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Wilson led a special concert in Lviv, Ukraine commemorating the victims of the invasion. Entitled "The Concert of the Invincibles", Wilson led the orchestra and chorus of the Lviv Opera house in a performance of Verdi's Requiem and Ukrainian composer Victoria Poleva's "Bucha Lacrimosa". The concert was broadcast throughout Ukraine on the radio and streamed live.{{Cite web |title=Пам'яті Нескорених |trans-title=Invictus Memory |url=https://opera.lviv.ua/shows/pam-yati-neskorenyh/ |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=Львівський Національний Академічний театр опери та балету |trans-website=Lviv National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet |language=uk-UA}} In April 2023, she made her debut with Houston Grand Opera, conducting Salome.{{Cite web |title=Salome |url=https://www.houstongrandopera.org/events-tickets/2022-23-season/salome/ |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=Houston Grand Opera |language=en}} Ms. Wilson returned to the Royal Opera House in the summer to conduct Verdi's La traviata.{{Cite web |url=https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/la-traviata-by-richard-eyre-dates |title=La traviata |access-date=2023-07-14 |website=Royal Opera House |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230714104724/https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/la-traviata-by-richard-eyre-dates |archive-date=2023-07-14}} In the summer of 2023, Wilson embarked on a second Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra tour throughout Europe and the UK.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-20 |title=Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra |url=https://teatrwielki.pl/en/repertoire/calendar/2023-2024/ukrainian-freedom-orchestra/termin/2023-08-20_19-00/ |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=Teatr Wielki Opera Narodowa |language=en}}

Wilson began the 2023/24 season conducting a concert with the Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen,{{Cite web |title=Theater St. Gallen {{!}} Onlineshop |url=https://webshop.jetticket.net/theatersg/Events?dateall=true&eventsetid=901 |access-date=2023-11-21 |website=webshop.jetticket.net}}{{Failed verification|date=December 2023}} She then conducted at the Opéra national de Paris conducting Cendrillon,{{Cite web |title=Cendrillon - Opéra - Programmation Saison 23/24 |website=Opéra national de Paris |url=https://www.operadeparis.fr/saison-23-24/opera/cendrillon#artists |access-date=2023-12-15}} followed by La bohème at the Royal Opera House.{{Cite web |url=https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/la-boheme-by-richard-jones-details |title=La bohème |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=Royal Opera House |quote=Keri-Lynn Wilson and Evelino Pidò conduct three wonderful casts in Richard Jones’s captivating production.}} In February 2024, a recording of her conducting the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra playing Beethoven's 9th Symphony was released by Deutsche Grammophon.{{Cite web |title=Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra & Keri-Lynn Wilson — Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 - Overview |url=https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/projects/klw-ufo/keri-lynn-wilson-ufo-beethoven-ninth-2635 |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=Deutsche Grammophon |language=en}} She returned to the English National Opera to conduct Jenufa in March. In April, she conducted two fundraising galas in support of Ukraine; one in Berlin with the DSO, and one with the Kyiv Camerata and Joyce DiDonato at Cargengie Hall.

{{s-start}}

{{s-culture}}

{{succession box

| title = Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra

| before = Established by Keri-Lynn Wilson

| years = 2022-present

}}

{{s-end}}

Wilson is {{cvt|6|ft|1|in}}. In a feature article about her in the April 2004 American edition of Vogue magazine she says it was during her time at Juilliard that she came to feel her height was an asset rather than a liability, saying. "I loved being tall in New York. I came into my own." She speaks Russian, French, Italian and German, and enjoys reading poetry in her free time.

Wilson has been married to Peter Gelb, the General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, since 2003.

• Danzón (1998) – Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, Dorian Recordings{{Cite web |url=https://api.discogs.com/artists/2263394 |title=Keri-Lynn Wilson |website=Discogs |language=en|access-date=October 23, 2019}}
• Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto Story (2005) – DVD by Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment{{Citation |title=Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto Story |url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0757889/|access-date=October 23, 2019}}
• Dreamscape (2007) – Shauna Rolston's album{{Cite web |url=https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Shauna-Rolston/dp/B000VZD4HA |title=Dreamscape |website=Amazon Germany}}
• Turandot (2007) – Puccini, TM Music{{Cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/giacomo-puccini-turandot-mw0001570201/releases |title=Giacomo Puccini: Turandot - Keri-Lynn Wilson {{!}} Releases|website=AllMusic|language=en-us|access-date=October 23, 2019}}
• La Traviata (2017) – NDR Klassik Open Air, Naxos{{Cite web |url=https://www.ndr.de/orchester_chor/radiophilharmonie/La-Traviata-auf-DVD,traviata140.html |title="La Traviata" auf DVD |last=NDR |website=www.ndr.de |language=de|access-date=October 23, 2019}}
• Prokofjew, Walton, Vaughan Williams (2018) - Isabelle van Keulen, NDR Radiophilharmonie with Challenge Records{{Cite web |url=https://www.ndr.de/orchester_chor/radiophilharmonie/Neue-CD-mit-Isabelle-van-Keulen,vankeulen136.html |title=CD mit Isabelle van Keulen veröffentlicht |last=NDR |website=www.ndr.de |language=de|access-date=October 23, 2019}}
• Sigismondo, (2019) – Rossini, live recording, BR Klassik{{Cite web |url=https://www.br-klassik.de/orchester-und-chor/br-klassik-cds/rundfunkorchester/br-klassik-cd-rossini-sigismondo-mro-wilson-100.html |title=Keri-Lynn Wilson dirigiert: Gioachino Rossini: Sigismondo {{!}} BR-Klassik|last=Rundfunk|first=Bayerischer|date=August 30, 2019|website=www.br-klassik.de|language=de|access-date=October 23, 2019}}
• Romance (2020) – Valentina Nafornita's album{{Cite web|url=http://outhere-music.com/en/albums/romance-omf705 |title=Romance |website=Outhere Music |access-date=February 22, 2023}}
• Beethoven 9 (2024) - Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra, Deutsche Grammophon{{Cite web |title=Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra & Keri-Lynn Wilson — Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 - Overview |url=https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/projects/klw-ufo/keri-lynn-wilson-ufo-beethoven-ninth-2635 |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=Deutsche Grammophon |language=en}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://www.keri-lynnwilson.com}}
• [https://centrestagemanagement.com/en/artists/dirigent/keri-lynn-wilson/ Centre Stage Management]
• [https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/keri-lynn-wilson-emc Keri Lynn Wilson] at Canadian Encyclopedia

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Keri Lynn}}

Category:1967 births

Category:Living people

Category:Canadian women conductors (music)

Category:Musicians from Winnipeg

Category:Musicians from Milwaukee

Category:20th-century Canadian conductors (music)

Category:20th-century Canadian women musicians

Category:21st-century Canadian conductors (music)

Category:21st-century Canadian women musicians