(CelebrityAccess) — Sir Andrew Davis, the famed British conductor who led many of the world’s leading orchestras, has died on April 20th after a battle with leukemia. He was 80.
His passing was announced on his website and confirmed to the BBC by his longtime agent, who said that Davis “[lived] a remarkable, rich, meaningful life.”
With a career that spans five decades, Davis served as artistic director for multiple performing arts organizations, including the Lyric Opera of Chicago (Music Director Emeritus; Music Director/Principal Conductor, 2000-2021), the BBC Symphony Orchestra (Conductor Laureate; Chief Conductor, 1989-2000, Glyndebourne Festival Opera (Music Director, 1988-2000), Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (Conductor Laureate; Chief Conductor, 2013-2019), and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (Conductor Laureate; Principal Conductor, 1975-1988, among others.
He also led performances at some of the world’s leading opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Bayreuth Festival, and the major companies of Munich, Paris, San Francisco, and Santa Fe. I
In 1992, Maestro Davis was created a Commander of the British Empire, and in 1999 he was designated a Knight Bachelor in the New Year Honours List.
Born in 1944, Maestro Davis was the son of Florence Joyce Badminton and Robert James Davis. He is preceded in death by his wife, Gianna Rolandi Davis, and is survived by their son Edward Frazier Davis (Gabi O’Grady Sutton), sister Jill Atkins (David), brothers Martin Davis (Beverly) and Tim Davis (Caroline), cousin Margaret Badminton, brother-in-law Walter Rolandi (Linda), and numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews.
