He is equally in demand throughout Europe and Asia, where he conducted a most successful tour of the Asian Youth Orchestra with the violinist Gidon Kremer as soloist. He has conducted orchestras throughout Australia and Mexico. In 1989 he conducted the Berlin Philharmonic, followed by appearances in Munich and Hamburg, and has collaborated with major orchestras throughout Europe. In Scandinavia his name is closely associated with the Stockholm and Helsinki Philharmonic, and the Swedish and Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestras. In 1964 Eri Klas made his conducting début at the Estonian National Opera in Tallinn, where he was appointed music director in 1975 and is now conductor laureate. He conducted the Bolshoy Opera in Moscow between 1969 and 1971, and toured with them to Paris, Tokyo, and Athens. Between 1985 and 1990, he was music director of the Royal Opera in Stockholm. Eri Klas is closely associated with leading composers, conducting world premières of works by Schnittke, Gorecki, Pärt and a number of Estonian composers. In 1990 he was awarded the Swedish Order of Nordstjernen by King Carl Gustav, followed by the Order of the Finnish Lion, bestowed on him by the President of Finland. In 1994, he received an honorary doctorate from the Estonian Music Academy and was also appointed professor of the Helsinki Sibelius Academy. Eri Klas is currently Music Director of the Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Tampere Philharmonic, and Principal Guest Conductor of the Finnish National Opera.

July 2002

---