SAN FRANCISCO OPERA Education Materials THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER

THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER

PRODUCTION TEAM BIOGRAPHY

LAWRENCE FOSTER, Conductor Lawrence Foster makes his San Francisco Opera debut in the 2015-16 season. Since 2013, he has held the position of music director of l'Opéra de Marseille and lʼOrchestre Philharmonique de Marseille. He is also conductor laureate of the Gulbenkian Orchestra, following a ten-year tenure as artistic director and chief conductor; his discography with that orchestra includes a number of recordings for PentaTone Classics, notably a highly acclaimed album of violin works by Bruch, Chausson and Korngold with Arabella Steinbacher and Gordon Gettyʼs Usher House. Recent career highlights include engagements as guest conductor with lʼOrchestre National de Lyon, Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic. Foster was music director of Orchestre et Opéra National de Montpellier Languedoc Roussillon from 2009–12, and previously held music directorships with the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona, Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo, Jerusalem Symphony

Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne and the Aspen Music Festival and School. Born to Romanian parents, Foster has been a major champion of the music of George Enescu, serving as artistic director of the George Enescu Festival from 1998 to 2001. In January 2003 he was decorated by the Romanian President for his services to Romanian Music.