Yuri Simonov is a prominent Russian conductor whose colorful career has been as varied as his reportorial tastes have been eclectic. He has led operatic and ballet performances of the Bolshoy, conducted major orchestras throughout the former USSR, and led performances abroad as a guest conductor of the world's leading orchestras and at the major opera houses. In the post-Soviet era, Simonov held important conducting posts in Europe and South America and since 1998 has served as music director of the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra. While Simonov has conducted many of the operati...