So the list can be extended to include Christian Thielemann and Mariss Jansons among others.

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Mulligan's driving instructor, Jerry Thielemann of Freedom and Mobility Driver Training and Evaluation in Marietta, Georgia, experienced that firsthand.

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Two British conductors, Opera North's Richard Farnes and the Royal Opera House's Antonio Pappano will battle it out with Germany's Ingo Metzmacher and Christian Thielemann, and Italian Nicola Luisotti for the conductor trophy.

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In 2016, she is scheduled to sing Elsa in "Lohengrin" in Dresden under the baton of Christian Thielemann, whose "demonic energy" she likens to that of Valery Gergiev, the Russian conductor who has played paterfamilias to a generation of singers from the former Soviet Union, including Ms. Netrebko.

WSJ: Anna Netrebko | So Long, Ing��nues | Cultural Conversation by David Mermelstein