David Charles Abell is that rare conductor whose wide range of repertoire knowledge and skill encompasses symphonic music, opera and musical theatre.  In recent seasons he has worked in all three of his métiers, with acclaimed symphonic performances in the UK, US, Asia and Europe, opera in Italy and the UK, and musical theatre all over the world.  He has conducted many of the top British orchestras including the London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, Bournemouth, City of Birmingham, Royal Scottish and Hallé.  Internationally, he has appeared with the Wiener Symphoniker, Orchestre Pasdeloup, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Iceland Symphony, Lugansk Philharmonic and New York Pops orchestras. His many television and radio appearances have encompassed a wide repertoire, from Johann Strauss with the period-instrument Wiener Akademie to Bliss and Beethoven with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Upcoming engagements include a return to the BBC Proms for Stephen Sondheim’s 80th birthday celebration.  The Sondheim theme continues in 2011, with Sweeney Todd at the Châtelet and Pacific Overtures at the new Arts Centre in Kanagawa, Japan.  Having conducted the Les Misérables 10th Anniversary Concert in 1995, David will conduct the 25th Anniversary Celebration in London’s O2 later this year.

On the Concert Stage
David Charles Abell made his debut with the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 2008, conducting a Russian programme at London’s Royal Festival Hall.  Other highlights include a return to the Orchestre Pasdeloup in January, 2010, two concerts in Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops, appearances at the BBC Proms in 2002 and 2007 with the BBC Concert Orchestra, the 2008 Classical Brit Awards (broadcast on ITV), two concerts with the Royal Philharmonic, and a concert celebrating what would have been the late Gian Carlo Menotti’s ninety-sixth birthday at the 2007 Spoleto (Italy) Festival.  His work with the BBC Symphony Orchestra includes Bliss’ Morning Heroes at the Brighton Festival and a studio concert of music by his mentor, Leonard Bernstein.

David has made a specialty of the music of Gershwin (Cape Town Opera, Royal Philharmonic, BBC Concert Orchestra, Iceland Symphony, Flemish Radio Orchestra), Copland (BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Iceland Symphony) and Korngold (centenary concert with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra).

He has appeared regularly with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in programmes ranging from Copland’s Third Symphony to Only Men Aloud. His recording of the Gershwin Concerto in F with Peter Donohoe was featured on the CD accompanying BBC Music Magazine in August, 2008.  A highlight of his work in Wales was Cymry for the World, the Grand Opening Concert of the Wales Millennium Centre. The televised event featured Bryn Terfel, Dennis O’Neill and the Welsh National Opera Chorus and Orchestra in addition to the NOW.

In the Opera House
In Autumn, 2009, David Charles Abell conducted a critically-acclaimed UK tour of Porgy and Bess with the Cape Town Opera:
“Conductor David Charles Abell nailed every hot-spot with keenness and self-evident love, steering the tightened narrative with a great sense of its imperative whilst relishing through his instinctive feeling for tempo-rubato the score's aching lyricism.” The Independent

David received the Pegasus Prize at the Spoleto (Italy) Festival in 2007 for his conducting of Menotti’s rarity Maria Golovin.  In 2006, he conducted Jonathan Dove’s Tobias and the Angel (soon to be released on CD) for the re-opening of London’s Young Vic.  For that production, his expert handling of the 130-strong community chorus in addition to the professional cast and orchestra led Peter Lathan to comment in The British Theatre Guide:
“Under the direction of conductor David Charles Abell, these are truly among the most gorgeous choral sounds I have heard in forty years of opera-going.”

David made his operatic debut at age 25 as a last-minute replacement conducting Britten’s The Turn of the Screw at the Washington Opera. Since then, he has conducted for many North American opera companies including the New York City Opera, Opera Pacific, the Edmonton Opera and Michigan Opera Theatre.  He conducted two American national tours: Carmen for the San Francisco Opera and Il barbiere di Siviglia for the New York City Opera. Across the Atlantic, he has conducted at Opera North (La gazza ladra), the Luglio Musicale Trapanese (Rigoletto and Manon Lescaut) and the Royal Albert Hall (Carmen and Madama Butterfly).  In 2004, David conducted Rachel Portman’s opera The Little Prince for BBC and PBS television.  It has since been released on DVD and CD by Sony Classics.

Musical Theatre
David Charles Abell is currently Musical Director of Love Never Dies - The Phantom Story Continues in London’s West End.  In addition to his other West End credits (Show Boat, Martin Guerre, Napoleon), he has conducted at the Bregenz Festival (West Side Story), at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris (On The Town), in Toronto (Miss Saigon), on tour in the US (Les Misérables) and at Glimmerglass Opera (Kiss Me, Kate):

‘Conductor David Charles Abell swung, bounced, gave and took with conscientious attention to the stage and a clear appreciation of the sophistication of Porter’s score.’ Opera News
He was personally chosen by the creators of Les Misérables to conduct the show’s Tenth Anniversary Concert, broadcast on television worldwide. He particularly enjoys collaborating with composers on new works: Take Flight (David Shire), The Three Musketeers (George Stiles), Napoleon (Tim Williams) and Martin Guerre (Claude-Michel Schönberg). CDs include complete recordings of Miss Saigon, Martin Guerre and Man of La Mancha.  David took the lead in the Richard Rodgers Centenary year of 2002, conducting gala concerts in the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, the Royal Festival Hall and at the BBC Proms.

David has been asked by the Cole Porter Trusts to edit the full orchestral score of Kiss Me Kate, which will be the first of the great classic American musicals to be published in an authoritative critical edition.
In June, 2006, he conducted Francesca Zambello’s production of Show Boat in the Royal Albert Hall, garnering universally excellent notices:
‘The music was safe in the hands of the extra-alert conductor David Charles Abell, who not only coaxed the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra into relishing Kern’s gorgeous tunes, but ensured that there was not a single break in the musico-dramatic fabric, always a danger in so potentially sprawling a work.’
Opera Magazine

Master of Festive Occasions
A particular specialty that has brought David praise is his unique way with concerts for the New Year celebrations.  He has researched original source materials and performance practices of the Waltz King Johann Strauss II and his contemporaries.  His discoveries have resulted in a refreshing and inimitable approach for these festive occasions and he provides entertaining and informative commentary throughout the concerts.  In 2001, the Birmingham Evening Mail reported:
'With American conductor David Charles Abell displaying tremendous energy and enthusiasm, the familiar waltzes and polkas, principally of the Strauss family, surely never sounded better.'

In 2004, David proposed a television documentary bringing to life the rivalry of the Johann Strausses, father and son, and showing the early history of the waltz as it really was: the rock ‘n’ roll of its day.  Strauss: The Waltz King (drama/documentary), and A Night In Vienna (concert with the period-instrument Wiener Akademie), were filmed in Vienna and broadcast on BBC television in August, 2005 with David conducting and speaking about the music of the Strauss dynasty.

Authoritative Interpreter of Bernstein
One of Leonard Bernstein's last protégés, David Charles Abell has been singled out in particular as a fine interpreter of his music. In 2003/04 he went to Japan for a new production of Candide andconducted West Side Story on the ‘floating stage’ of the Bregenz Festival:
'The pit band is no less than the superb Vienna Symphony.  Had there been a roof, it would have been raised by conductor David Charles Abell’s attack on the big dance and rumble numbers.'  Variety

He was asked to conduct a special studio concert with the BBC Symphony in 2005 highlighting Bernstein’s lesser-known works. His 2008 season included On The Town at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. David has also participated in the editorial process for the authoritative edition of Leonard Bernstein’s works.

His love for Bernstein’s music began at a young age, when he was chosen to sing in the boys’ choir for the world premiere of Mass at Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center. Mass was also the piece with which he made his professional conducting debut in Berlin at age 23.

Education and Training
Born in North Carolina, USA, his early education included intensive study of singing, piano, viola and composition before a decision at age fourteen to concentrate on conducting. He gained degrees from Yale University and the Juilliard School, where his teachers included Jorge Mester, Sixten Ehrling and John Mauceri.  He went on to study and work with Leonard Bernstein and attended the Conservatoire Américain in Fontainebleau, France, where he studied with the legendary Nadia Boulanger. At Yale, he was Music Director of the Bach Society, where his gift for creative programming was first in evidence.