Bryan Balkwill

Bryan Havell Balkwill (2 July 1922 – 24 February 2007) was an English orchestral conductor.

Balkwill was born in London. He started to learn to play the piano at the age of four and was educated at Merchant Taylors' School. From there he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. After service in the Second World War in Italy he was appointed as répétiteur for the New London Opera Company in 1947 where he became its assistant conductor. With them he made his debut at the Cambridge Theatre conducting Carl Ebert's production of Rigoletto. Around the same time he was the associate conductor of the International Ballet Company. From 1979 to 1992 he was professor at the School of Music at Indiana University. He retired in 1992 and returned to Britain.

During his career he became particularly associated with the performances of Joan Sutherland, including conducting her at Covent Garden in Alcina, La sonnambula and, in her most celebrated role, Lucia di Lammermoor. He also conducted Peter Pears in Peter Grimes, Jon Vickers in Aida and Régine Crespin in Tosca.