Performers
Walerian Bierdiajew
Having graduated from the Kiev Polytechnic Institute, he studied in Leipzig (music theory with Stephan Krehl, composition with Max Reger and conducting with Arthur Nikisch). He made his debut in Dresden, in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin (1906).
After some years in Russia (where he was, among others, a conductor at the Mariinsky Theatre), from 1921 he appeared as a guest conductor in Poland and throughout Europe. He conducted at Leningrad Philharmonic (from 1925), led orchestras in many opera houses and was
a professor at Kiev Conservatory.
From 1930 he was a conductor at Warsaw’s Teatr Wielki and a professor at Warsaw Conservatory (teacher of Tomasz Kiesewetter, Bohdan Wodiczko, and others). In Warsaw he staged, among others, Verdi’s Aida and Wagner’s Parsifal and Lohengrin.
Under the German occupation he was a conductor at Warsaw Municipal Theatre and a lecturer at the underground conservatory. After World War II he worked in Krakow as a conductor and director of the Philharmonic. In 1949–1954 he directed Poznań Opera and was a professor at Poznań’s State Higher School of Music (now the Academy). His major productions included Verdi’s La Traviata, Moniuszko’s Halka, and Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov.
From 1954 he was the director of Warsaw’s National Opera and a lecturer at that city’s State Higher School of Music (now the Chopin University). He taught, among others, Henryk Czyż and Stanisław Skrowaczewski.
His accolades included the Commander’s Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1952).
After some years in Russia (where he was, among others, a conductor at the Mariinsky Theatre), from 1921 he appeared as a guest conductor in Poland and throughout Europe. He conducted at Leningrad Philharmonic (from 1925), led orchestras in many opera houses and was
a professor at Kiev Conservatory.
From 1930 he was a conductor at Warsaw’s Teatr Wielki and a professor at Warsaw Conservatory (teacher of Tomasz Kiesewetter, Bohdan Wodiczko, and others). In Warsaw he staged, among others, Verdi’s Aida and Wagner’s Parsifal and Lohengrin.
Under the German occupation he was a conductor at Warsaw Municipal Theatre and a lecturer at the underground conservatory. After World War II he worked in Krakow as a conductor and director of the Philharmonic. In 1949–1954 he directed Poznań Opera and was a professor at Poznań’s State Higher School of Music (now the Academy). His major productions included Verdi’s La Traviata, Moniuszko’s Halka, and Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov.
From 1954 he was the director of Warsaw’s National Opera and a lecturer at that city’s State Higher School of Music (now the Chopin University). He taught, among others, Henryk Czyż and Stanisław Skrowaczewski.
His accolades included the Commander’s Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1952).
