Alexander Rahbari

Alexander (Ali) Rahbari, born in the city of Varamin, Iran, embarked on his musical journey at the age of five, learning to play the violin. He graduated from the Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien in 1971, specialising in composition under the tutelage of Gottfried von Einem, and completed his conducting studies there in 1974, guided by Hans Swarovsky.

Laureate of international conducting competitions, securing the Gold Medal in Besançon, France (1977), and the Silver Medal in Geneva (1978).

He had the esteemed opportunity to assist Herbert von Karajan, conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker at the Salzburg Festival in 1980.

Has conducted over one hundred and twenty orchestras worldwide, including engagements with the Mariinsky Orchestra, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, the Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest, the Orchestre National de France, the Orchestre de chambre de Paris, the Berliner Symphoniker, Leipzig’s Gewandhausorchester, the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, the Prague Symphony Orchestra, Bratislava’s Cappella Istropolitana and ZOE chamber orchestra, the Tehran Symphony Orchestra (in 2005 he led it, performing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in the capital of Iran over seven evenings and garnering acclaim from the Tehran audience), the Orchestra of English National Opera, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Tokyo’s NHK Symphony Orchestra. Served as Principal Guest Conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra (receiving the Dvořák Medal in 1985 for his collaboration with the ensemble), the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra and the Belgian Radio and Television Philharmonic Orchestra (later becoming its Principal Conductor from 1988 to 1996). Was Principal Conductor of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra and the Virtuosi di Praga chamber orchestra. During 2000–2004 he worked as Chief Conductor and Musical Director of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga, Spain.

In 1997 Alexander Rahbari formed the Persian International Philharmonic Orchestra in Bregenz, Austria, by bringing together sixty Iranian instrumentalists from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA. With this ensemble he recorded Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, Khachaturian’s Violin Concerto, and his own violin concerto, Nohe Khan, composed at nineteen and later awarded by the Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien.

Has released over two hundred and fifty compact discs, with his recordings of operas by Verdi and Puccini under his direction gaining particular popularity.

Alexander Rahbari is the author of the orchestral work Music for Human Rights, the symphonic poem for nine flutes Beirut, the piece for orchestra and choir Half Moon, ten pieces for orchestra and male choir La Fuerza Flamenca, the cycle of symphonic poems My Mother Persia and a host of other compositions. Leads an international project to musically adapt all one hundred and fifty-four of Shakespeare’s sonnets. In March 2022 in collaboration with the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra he premiered his new symphonic poem Also sprach Zarathustra Spitama, reinterpreting the image of the Iranian prophet depicted in the works by Nietzsche and Richard Strauss.

In July 2022 Alexander Rahbari made his debut at the Mariinsky Theatre, conducting Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony and Rimsky-Korsakov’s symphonic suite Scheherazade. Since then he has been a regular on the Mariinsky stage. His repertoire there includes Beethoven’s and Mahler’s Fourth Symphonies, Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for String Orchestra, Slavonic March, symphony Manfred, fantasy overture Romeo and Juliet, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth symphonies, Debussy’s L’Après-midi d’un faune, Dvořák’s Eighth Symphony, Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony, Fazıl Say’s violin concerto 1001 Nights in the Harem, Tolibkhon Shahidi’s Symphonic Dances, Amir Mahyar Tafreshipour’s harp concerto Persian Echoes, works by Richard Strauss, Ravel, Stravinsky, Khachaturian, Alexander Arutiunian and the conductor himself, as well as the Eastern Overture, penned by Wartan Gnoro, a violist from the Mariinsky Orchestra. In September 2022 Alexander Rahbari presented the Russian premiere of his symphonic poem Also sprach Zarathustra Spitama at the Mariinsky Theatre, in July 2023 – the world premiere of the Flamenco Suite, composed by the contemporary Andalusian composer Martin-Jaime, and in March 2026 – the world premiere of Mehran Rouhani’s Persian Dance.
Information for September 2026