Back in the Netherlands, De Waart started in 1988 as artistic director of the new Omroep Music Center in Hilversum. A year later he became chief conductor of the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. He impressed with a series of concert opera performances and worked with the orchestra on a new timbre, focused on his preference for German late Romantic repertoire. He recorded all the symphonies of Mahler and Rachmaninov and conducted the orchestra in numerous opera productions at Dutch National Opera.
From Hilversum to Sydney
His career as a conductor took De Waart all over the world. He held positions as chief conductor with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra (then deFilharmonie), the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. He also served as Principal Guest Conductor of the San Diego Symphony. As if that wasn’t enough, De Waart also performed at various opera houses and festivals.
