Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) is among the most beloved composers of the Romantic era, prized for music that probes the full range of human emotion with extraordinary craft and warmth. Born in a small Bohemian village to a butcher and tavern keeper, he rose through years of poverty and obscurity to international acclaim, championed by Brahms and celebrated across Europe and America. His vast output spans symphonies, operas, chamber music, choral works, and song, including the Ninth Symphony "From the New World," the Cello Concerto in B minor, and the opera Rusalka. He served as director of the National Conservatory in New York from 1892 to 1895.