Yevgeny Svetlanov, 73; Conductor Specialized in Russian Composers

Yevgeny Svetlanov, 73, a renowned conductor who specialized in works by Russian composers, died Friday at his home in Moscow of unspecified causes.

Svetlanov was the chief conductor of the Bolshoi Theater from 1963 to 1965, when he was named artistic director and chief conductor of the Soviet State Symphony. Known as a leading interpreter of Russian symphony, ballet and opera music, he was named a People’s Artist of the Soviet Union in 1968 and was awarded the Lenin Prize in 1972 and the Order of Lenin in 1978. He received the Soviet State Prize for creative achievement in 1983.

But two years ago, Svetlanov was dismissed from the State Symphony after Culture Minister Mikhail Shvydkoi said he was spending too much time conducting overseas. For the past two years, Svetlanov has been an honorary conductor at the Bolshoi and a guest conductor around the world, particularly in the Netherlands.

Trained at the Gnesin Institute of Music, he became known as a pianist, then moved on to composing and conducting. He graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in 1955 in all three musical specialties.