Mario Bernardi | |
|---|---|
 Mario Bernardi (left), and Bramwell Tovey (right) in 2005 | |
| Born | 20 August 1930 |
| Died | 2 June 2013 (aged 82) |
| Resting place | Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto |
| Occupation(s) | conductor, pianist |
| Awards | Order of Canada |
Mario Bernardi, CC FRSC (20 August 1930 – 2 June 2013) was a Canadian conductor and pianist.[1] He conducted 75 different operas and over 450 other works with the National Arts Centre Orchestra.[1]
Bernardi was born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario,[1] and spent his first six years in Canada. After his family moved to Italy,[1] Bernardi studied piano, organ, and composition with Bruno Pasut at the Manzato Conservatory at Treviso and took his examinations at Italy's Venice Conservatory.[1]
After graduating in 1945, his family returned to Canada where he finished his studies at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.[1] He then was a concert pianist.
In 1957 he conducted the Canadian Opera Company,[1] and in 1963 was an assistant conductor and later a music director and conductor of the Mozart opera presentations at the Sadler's Wells Opera Company (now the English National Opera) from 1966 to 1968.[1]
In 1968 he became the founding conductor of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa,[1] and also became the music director in 1971.[1] He then led the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra from 1984 until 1992.[1] From 1983 until 2006 he was the principal conductor of the CBC Radio Orchestra.[1] He then retired from full-time work, although he continued to perform with numerous orchestras as an occasional guest conductor;[1] he was named NACO's conductor laureate in 1997.[1]
He has made several dozen recordings for CBC Records, the CBC's in-house label, among others.[1]
He died on 2 June 2013 in Toronto.[2]
Bernardi worked until age 80, when he had a serious stroke and moved to a care home. He continued to play piano until he lost sufficient finger dexterity.[3]
Bernardi was married, with one daughter and two grandsons.[3]
