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Born in Slovakia, as a young pianist he won several national piano competitions and began his musical career as a concert pianist and vocal coach. He studied conducting with Leopold Hager at Music University in Vienna and with Zsolt Nagy at the Conservatoire National Superiéur in Paris. He conducted his first opera, Le Nozze di Figaro at the age of 21 at University of Music in Vienna, where he also conducted Don Pasquale, Die Kluge (Orff), The cunning little Vixen (Janáček). During his studies in Vienna he was awarded with „Viktor Bunzl Bursary“ for an exceptional artistic talent. 2003 besides his engagements as vocal coach at the Opéra Bastille and Théâtre du Chatelet (Les Troyens) in Paris he collaborated with Sir John Eliot Gardiner. As assistant of Zsolt Nagy by Festival of Contemporary Music Ostrava Days (Czech Republic) he conducted the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra. Peter Valentovic was chorus master and resident conductor in Cape Town Opera in South Africa, where he extended his repertoire with Nabucco, Cavalleria Rusticana, Gianni Schicchi, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Rusalka and Porgy and Bess as well as more symphony concerts and oratorios. In 2004 he conducted for the first time the Slovak Philharmony. He is also a regular guest at the Slovak National Opera and State Opera Kosice where he the conducted Rigoletto. Peter Valentovic was a head of the music staff at Tiroler Festspiele and in Teatro Comunale Bolzano. His repertoire includes Italian (Don Pasquale, La Rondine, I Capuleti ed i Montechi, Aida, La traviata) and German operas (Fidelio, The Flying Dutchman, Elektra, Salome).
Peter Valentovic