Richard Bonynge’s legacy lies not only in his formidable résumé as an opera conductor, but also in his championing of rare repertoire and coaching some of the classical world’s greatest singers to perform it. Born in 1930, Bonynge studied piano at conservatory in his hometown of Sydney and in London, and he made a name for himself by accompanying the young soprano Joan Sutherland in opera recitals. (The two married in 1954.) He debuted as an opera conductor at the Vancouver Opera in 1963 with productions of Gounod’s Faust and Bellini’s Norma featuring Sutherland, the first of countless legendary performances of hers that he would conduct at companies all over the world until her death in 2010. He has also served as a mentor to Pavarotti, Marilyn Horne, Sumi Jo, and many other stars. Bonynge’s career-long area of expertise is Italian bel canto and French opera of the 18th and 19th centuries, and he has also championed instrumental ballets of those eras in his performances and prolific discography.