BARENBOIM, DANIEL

(1942- )

   Controversial Israeli pianist, composer, and conductor. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to parents of Russian Jewish descent. The family moved to Israel in 1952. He once directed Richard Wagner's music before an Israeli audience (controversial because of Adolf Hitler's infatuation with Wagner's work) and played concerts in Ramallah during the intifada to demonstrate solidarity with the Palestinian civilian population. He was awarded the Wolf Prize in Israel in 2004 for his dedication to human rights and a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.