John Lund

John Lund (October 20, 1859 – February 1, 1925) was a German-born American conductor and composer.

Early life and education in Germany The son of George Ross Lund and his wife Eva Lund (nee Toernstroem), John Reinhold Lund was born in Hamburg, Germany on October 20, 1859. His father was a businessman, and he was educated in his youth at the Johanneum Gymnasium. Leopold Damrosch recruited Lund during his visit to Europe in 1884 with the intent of utilizing Lund as the Met's chorusmaster. He conducted several operas at the Met in 1885; among them Der Freischütz, Tannhäuser, and La Juive. His final appearance with the Metropolitan Opera was conducting a performance of Die Walküre on tour to Boston on April 16, 1885 with a cast led by Amalie Materna as Brünnhilde, Anton Schott as Siegmund, and Anna Slach as Sieglinde.

In 1885 Lund was appointed conductor of the Thalia Theatre in New York City which was at that time occupied by German opera company. Under his tenure he made the orchestra into one of the first mixed-gendered professional symphonies in the United States when he appointed Nora Clench to the violin section in the 1890s. He concurrently served as music director of the Orpheus Men's Choir in Buffalo; remaining as leader of both ensembles through 1903.

In 1903 composer Victor Herbert lured Lund away from Buffalo to work for his as a conductor for his operettas. He worked closely with Herbert from 1903-1914; conducting eight of his stage works during that time. Other Herbert operettas he conducted on Broadway included Mlle. Modiste (1905-1906) and The Prima Donna (1908-1909).