Gianluigi Gelmetti

He died in Monaco on 11 August 2021, at the age of 75.

Gelmetti also composed music. He wrote "In Paradisum Deducant Te Angeli", premiered in Rome and later performed in London, Munich, Frankfurt, Budapest, Sydney and Stuttgart; "Algos" for large orchestra, premiered in 1997 by the Münchner Philharmoniker and "Prasanta Atma", commissioned in 1999 to celebrate Sergiu Celibidache. More recently, the Teatro Comunale di Bologna commissioned him the "Cantata della Vita" for choir, cello solo and orchestra.

Following his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Gelmetti regularly performed as a conductor at international opera houses, concert halls, and festivals. From 1989 to 1998 he was the Principal Conductor of the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra as well as the Schwetzingen Festival; and from 2000 to 2009, Musical and Artistic Director of Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. From 2004 to 2008 he was the Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. In 2012, he was appointed Principal Conductor of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo, a post that he held until 2016. He was then named Chef Honoraire for life and was awarded the Monaco citizenship by H.S.H. Prince Albert II.

Gianluigi Gelmetti OMRI, (11 September 1945 – 11 August 2021) was an Italian-Monégasque conductor and composer.

Gianluigi Gelmetti was born on 11 September 1945 in Rome, Italy. When 16-years old, Sergiu Celibidache let him conduct an orchestra, then took him as a pupil. He subsequently studied with Franco Ferrara and Hans Swarowsky. In 1967 he won the “Firenze” prize.

While at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma he led some lesser-known or rediscovered lyric works; the world premiere of Marie Victoire (written in 1914 but never performed) and Marilyn (1980) by Lorenzo Ferrero; La fiamma (1933) by Ottorino Respighi; Sakùntala (1921) by Franco Alfano; and Iris (1898) by Pietro Mascagni. He notably conducted Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Le nozze di Figaro (earning him the "Best Conductor of the Year" prize from Opernwelt), Così fan tutte and The Magic Flute. Among other works he conducted: Francesca da Rimini, Das Rheingold and Falstaff in Monte-Carlo; William Tell in Zürich, Monte-Carlo and Paris; La forza del destino and Attila in Parma; Les vêpres siciliennes in Naples; Turandot in Tokyo; The Barber of Seville and I due Foscari in Toulouse; Un ballo in maschera, La traviata in Trieste; La fanciulla del West and Tosca in Liège; Rossini's Stabat Mater in Sarajevo. Most recently he led a video production of La Cenerentola directed by Carlo Verdone for Rada Film and Verdi's Messa da Requiem in Rome.