Gennady Rozhdestvensky received his musical education at the Moscow Conservatoire, studying conducting with his father Nikolay Anosov, and piano with Lev Oborin. Whilst still a student he made his debut at the Bolshoi Theatre, and at his graduation had already established a reputation as a conductor in Russia and abroad. He was appointed Staff Conductor (1951-1961) and then Principal Conductor (1964-1970) at the Bolshoi, where he ge the Russian premieres of Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dreamand Khachaturian's Spartacus.
In 1961 he was made Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Symphony Orchestra of All-Union Radio and Television, and in 1974 he became Chief Conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. From 1978-1982 he was Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and subsequently Chief Conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
Gennady Rozhdestvensky returned in September 1991 with a new contract to the RSPO as their Chief Conductor. He was the founder conductor of the celebrated Moscow Chamber Opera, and has toured extensively with them. He appears regularly as guest conductor at the major European concert venues, and his association with London remains particularly strong.