“I think the most important thing for a listener is to realize that he, too, should not listen to music in a passive way; that if you sit in a concert hall and expect to be moved or taken off your seat by the music, it will not happen.”

Argentinian-born classical pianist and conductor

Daniel Barenboim is an Argentinian-born classical pianist and conductor, born in 1942. He holds Spanish, Israeli and Palestinian citizenship, and is known for his long career at the center of classical music. From 1992 until January 2023, he served as general music director of the Berlin State Opera and as Staatskapellmeister of its orchestra, the Staatskapelle Berlin. His public voice is shaped by a life spent in performance and musical leadership.