Dimitri Mitropoulos (1896-1960) was a conductor, a pianist and a composer. He was born in Athens (Greece) and studied music there and in Brussels (Belgium). He started his career in Athens subsequently working in Europe (Germany, France, Italy and in the Soviet Union). He was the director of the symphonic orchestra of Minneapolis (1938-1949) and in 1949 he moved to New York, becoming the permanent director of the philharmonic orchestra (1951-1957). He died while directing a rehearsal at La Scala in Milan.