Fabio Luisi

Fabio Luisi (Genoa, 17 January 1959) is an Italian conductor.

Fabio Luisi attended the Conservatorio Niccolò Paganini in Genoa, where he studied under Memi Schiavina. After graduating as a pianist, he took lessons with Aldo Ciccolini and Antoni Bacchelli.
Luisi developed an interest in orchestral conducting while working as a rehearsal pianist, and went to the conservatory in Graz to study under Milan Horvat. Subsequently, he worked at the Oper Graz as a rehearsal pianist and conductor. His first appearance as a conductor was in Italy in 1984. From 1990 to 1995 he was chief conductor of the newly established recreation – Großes Orchester Graz. From 1995 to 2000 he was artistic director and principal conductor of the Tonkünstler-Orchester Niederösterreich. From 1996 to 2007 he was chief conductor of the Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester in Leipzig, for the first three years as part of a triumvirate with Marcello Viotti and Manfred Honeck. In addition, from 1997 to 2002 he was principal conductor of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. Subsequently, he combined various positions: from 2004 to 2012 he was chief conductor of the Semperoper in Dresden, from 2005 to 2013 also of the Wiener Symphoniker, and from 2007 to 2010 also of the Staatskapelle Dresden.
In March 2005, Luisi made his American debut at the Metropolitan Opera with Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi.