Legendary Conductor Julius Rudel Enjoys Working on His Yamaha Grand

ince his debut almost sixty years ago, opera audiences have thrilled to the mastery of conductor Julius Rudel. Now a vigorous 80, he is as sought-after as ever, but he has a new companion away from the limelight: a Yamaha C1 conservatory grand piano. Rudel purchased the C1 after two separate visits to Frank & Camille's new showroom on 57th Street in New York City.

Interviewed in Buenos Aires, where he was beginning rehearsals for an upcoming production of The Merry Widow at the Teatro Colón, Rudel told of how his longtime friendship with Jim Wooten—formerly the keyboard administrator for the New York Metropolitan Opera Association but today the Director of Yamaha Artist Services (YAS) in New York—led him to consider obtaining a Yamaha of his own. Rudel has used Yamaha pianos on stages around the world, and had long appreciated their consistent tone and ease of play.

"I used them on a number of occasions at the Met, I used them here and there, and I liked them," the maestro says. "It seems uncomplicated, shall we say. Nice tone, nice touch and sensitivity. I just thought it might be nice to have one." Since he purchased the C1, Rudel has found it's just the thing for both work and play.

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Julius Rudel