Sixten Ehrling
Sixten Ehrling, (April 3 1918 – February 13 2005), was a Swedish conductor who, during a long career, served tenures as the principle conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and as the music director of the Royal Swedish Opera amongst others.
Ehrling was born in Malmö, his father was a banker, and from the age of 18 attended the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in Stockholm. At the academy he studies the violin, organ, and piano, as well as conducting. During World War II he studied under both Karl Boehm and Albert Wolff.
In 1953 Ehrling was named as the music director of the Swedish Royal Opera, a post he held until 1960. During these years he worked closely with the acclaimed tenor Jussi Björling. In 1959 Ehrling took the production of Aniara, composed by Karl-Birger Blomdahl, to the Edinburgh International Festival.
Ehrling's tenure with Swedish Royal Opera ended in acrimony, he resigned his post and departed for the USA after he was asked to amend, and apologise for, his robust leadership style. In 1963 Ehrling replaced the departing Paul Paray as the principle conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. During his time in Detroit the composer Luciano Berio has his brief residency]].
Ehrling also taught at the Juilliard School of Music between 1973 and 1987.