Masur, Kurt  ( born July 18, 1927 , Brieg, Ger. [now Brzeg, Pol.]German conductor, known for his hearfelt interpretations of the German Romantic repertoire, who rose to prominence in East Germany in the 1970s.

Masur studied piano and cello at the National Music School in Breslau, Ger. (now Wrocław, Pol.), from 1942 to 1944. He then studied conducting, piano, and composition at the Leipzig Conservatory in 1946–48(now Leipzig Academy of Music and Theatre) from 1946 to 1948. He spent the next seven years conducting in regional East German opera houses before becoming securing a position as conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic in 1955. He was subsequently music director of the Mecklenburg State Theatre After working in Mecklenburg (1958–60) , music director of the Comic Opera in and Berlin (1960–64), and conductor at Dresden again among other cities, he rejoined the Dresden orchestra from 1967 to 1972. During his long tenure as conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra (from 19701970–96), Masur became internationally known and toured widely throughout the world. He was noted for his comprehensive repertoire, which spanned German Romanticism from featured the works of German Romantic composers such as Ludwig van Beethoven to those of and Gustav Mahler.

A prestigious cultural figure in East Germany, Masur participated in the popular agitation that led to the fall of the communist government in late 1989. He became As music director of the New York Philharmonic in 1991.from 1991 to 2002, he was credited with reinvigorating the orchestra and raising its standards of performance. From 2000 he was principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, with which he recorded and toured extensively, and from 2002 he was also musical director of the Orchestre National de France. While holding the two positions he continued to appear as guest conductor with a number of major orchestras in the United States and Europe.
