born July 1, 1926, Gütersloh, Ger.
German-Italian composer.
He studied with Wolfgang Fortner (1907–87) and later with René Leibowitz (1913–72). After an early association with the avant-garde at Darmstadt under Leibowitz's influence, the more traditional grounding received from Fortner reasserted itself. He moved permanently to Italy in 1953. He is best known for his operas, which include Der König Hirsch (1955), Elegy for Young Lovers (1961), Der junge Lord (1964), and The Bassarids (1965). He also wrote numerous major symphonies and concertos. His longtime commitment to Marxism expressed itself in many of his works. Though never known widely in the U.S., in Europe Henze is considered one of the major composers of the later 20th century.