Adler, Peter Herman, 1899-1990

European-born American conductor (1899-1990). Adler was appointed music director of the Bremen State Opera and the State Philharmonia of Kiev in the 1930's, and made his debut with the New York Philharmonic in 1940 after emigrating to the United States. He was appointed music and artistic director of the NBC Opera in 1949, and music and artistic director of National Educational Television in 1969. Adler commissioned several important scores for television, including Gian Carlo Menotti's "Amahl and the Night Visitors," Norman Dello Joio's "St. Joan" and Bohuslav Martinů's "Marriage" for NBC, and Jack Beeson's "My Heart's in the Highlands," Thomas Pasatieri's "Trial of Mary Lincoln" and Hans Werner Henze's "Cubana" for National Educational Television. His activities outside television included music directorship of the Baltimore Symphony from 1959 to 1968, appearances at the Metropolitan Opera starting in 1972 and the directorship of the American Opera Center at the Juilliard School from 1973 until his retirement in 1981.