Quick Facts
Biography
Mikhail Nikolayevich Zhukov (Жуков, Михаил Николаевич) (1901–1960) was a Russian conductor and composer.
Zhukov graduated 1918 from the National Choral Academy in Moscow. In 1919-22 he was first concert master, then 1922-32 conductor at the Stanislavsky Opera Studio. From 1932-35 conductor at the Leningrad opera) and then again 1935-38 conductor at the Stanislavsky Opera Studio, and having obtained a diploma in the first all-Soviet conductor's competition in Moscow in 1938, 1939-41 chief conductor there. From 1944-46 he was conductor of Moscow Theatre of Operetta. From 1946-1949 he was conductor of the Latvian Opera and Ballet in Riga with Leonid Vigners. Then from 1951 till his death conductor of the Bolshoi Theater.
Zhukov was awarded People's Artist of the RSFSR (1941), People's Artist of the Latvian SSR (1949), and the USSR State Prize (Гос. пр. СССР 1950). Zhukov is particularly noted for his association with Prokofiev, having conducted the premiere (1940) and first recording (1960) of Semyon Kotko.
Compositions
Operas:
- Triumph ("Триумф" 1924)
- The Gadfly ("Овод" 1928) based on the story by Ethel Lilian Voynich.
- Thunderstorm ("Гроза" 1941)