Gustav Mahler (July7, 1860 - May 18, 1911) was an Austrian late-Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. In 1897 he was appointed director of the Vienna Court Opera. During his time in Vienna, Mahler - who had converted to Catholicism to secure the post - experienced regular opposition and hostility from the anti-Semitic press. Late in his life he was briefly director of New York's Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th century Austro-German tradition and the modernism of the early 20th century. His music gained wide popularity only after periods of relative neglect which included a ban on its performance in much of Europe during the Nazi era. After 1945 the music was discovered and championed by a new generation of listeners; Mahler then became one of the most frequently performed and recorded of all composers. Most of his twelve symphonic scores are large-scale works, often employing vocal soloists and choruses in addition to augmented orchestral forces. In 1911, he was diagnosed with bacterial endocarditis. He died later that year at the age of 50.