The Resume

(September 15, 1876-February 17, 1962)
Born in Berlin, Germany
Birth name was Bruno Schlesinger
Music Director of the Bavarian State Opera (1913-22), the Deutsche Oper Berlin (1925-29), and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1935-38)
Principal Conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra (1929-33)
Artistic Director of the Vienna State Opera (1936-38)

Why he might be annoying:

He was pressured into changing his last name before taking his first conductor's position in Breslau (1896), ostensibly because 'Schlesinger' was such a common name locally, but possibly to hide his Jewish ethnicity.
He was offered the position of Music Director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, but declined, citing his age as his reason (1942). Four years later, the position became open again and he accepted (although he asked that the title be changed to Music Adviser).
When he considered marrying his mistress, singer Delia Reinhardt, after his wife's death, his daughter Lotte fainted on hearing the suggestion. He declined to bring up the subject again.

Why he might not be annoying:

He was close to Gustav Mahler and was asked by Mahler's widow, Alma, to conduct the posthumous premiers of Mahler's Lied von der Erde (November 20, 1911) and Symphony No. 9 (June 26, 1912).
When Adolf Hitler made speeches complaining about Jewish conductors leading German orchestras, he frequently singled out Walter by name.
His daughter Gretel was murdered by her husband, who then committed suicide (August 21, 1939).
Leonard Bernstein, his former assistant (and replacement) at the New York Philharmonic, said, 'He was so kind, so gentle, and so authoritative at the same time. I couldn't believe that a conductor could combine those qualities of warmth, tenderness, and absolute authority to this degree.'

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Born in Berlin, Germany
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 84]
• Catholics who are Partially Jewish
• I am an Adulterer
• I Converted to Catholicism
• I Died in 1962 (Ranked: 85)
• I Have a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame[U-Z]
• I Outlived My Child
• My Child Was Murdered
• My Song was Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (Ranked: 1981)
• Opera Singers and Composers
• Profiles 53001-53250 (Ranked: 53205)
• We Died on the Same Day (Ranked: 19620217)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying