Rastislav Štúr

Current chief conductor of the Slovak National Theatre Bratislava, Slovakia, Rastislav Stur was born on November 26, 1969 in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia. He studied at Janacek Music Academy Brno (graduated 1995) at the class of Prof. Jan Zbavitel.

He gave his debut in the opera Mepfistopfeles (Boito) when he stepped in to replace a sick colleague – since that day he has received a number of opportunities. In 1996 he became conductor of Slovak National Theatre.

In December 1999 he joined the Orchestra Philharmonique de Strasbourg in a performance of The Bartered Bride (Smetana) at the National du Rhin Opera House, together with soloists from all over the world.

He continues to have engagements with the Janacek opera house in Brno where, after his debut with the ballet Tristan und Isolda (Burghauser), he performed the children´s opera Jinks with the Devil (Podest), Il Trovatore (Verdi), the ballets Batallion (Fiser), Daphnis et Chloe (Ravel) and Les Biches (Poulenc).

Stur conducted 12 performances of La Traviata with Slovak National Theatre Opera on Japan Tour 2004, in the same year he conducted concert with Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra in Moscow.

Just to mention a few of his most recent highlights: he conducted Peter Dvorsky´s concerts with Montserrat Caballe in Bratislava (2000), with Gabriela Benackova, with Eva Urbanová, Jelena Obrazcova, Ilona Tokody etc.

Stur conducted Spectre´s Bride (Dvorak) with Sao Paolo Symphony Orchestra in Sao Paolo, Brasil 2005 (Urbanova, Ludha, Mikulas).

He also conducted in the opera houses of Graz, Giessen, Essen, concert with Die Sudwestdeutsche Philharmonie and Heinrich Schiff in Konstanz 2004, concert with Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra in Moscow 2004, he was also the main propagonist in a Gala concert with Cairo Symphony Orchestra (Egypt).

Stur has been working regulary with Peter Dvorsky since 1999, either for important performances at the Slovak National Opera or concerts. He recorded CD "Vivere" with Peter Dvorsky and The Prague Philharmonia (2001).

Stur is conductor of Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra (CD with Jolana Fogasova 2000, concerts in Bratislava , concert in Kölner Philharmonie 2003 and 2006, Interlaken 2005...)

He conducted many concerts with Prague Symphony Orchestra (in Prague , Nürnberg 2003, Wroclaw 2004, 26 concerts on USA Tour 2005, Merseburg 2005...).