Kurt Herbert Adler
Kurt Herbert Adler, born on April 2, 1905, in Vienna, Austria, was an
Austrian-born American conductor and opera house director. He began his musical
career assisting Arturo Toscanini at the 1936 Salzburg Festival before leaving
Austria following the Nazi occupation in 1938. After working for five years as
assistant chorus director with the Chicago City Opera Company, he joined the San
Francisco Opera in 1943 as chorus director, and was confirmed as General
Director in 1953. During his tenure, he expanded the performance season,
introduced the Merola Opera Program, and launched t...
