Karl August Leopold Böhm, born on August 28, 1894, in Graz, Austria-Hungary, was a prominent Austrian conductor renowned for his interpretations of the works of Mozart, Wagner, and Richard Strauss. Böhm initially pursued a law degree, earning a doctorate, before following his passion for music at the Graz Conservatory and later the Vienna Conservatory, studying under Eusebius Mandyczewski.

Böhm's career began in earnest in 1917 as a rehearsal assistant in Graz, where he debuted as a conductor with Viktor Nessler's opera "Der Trompeter von Säckingen." His early career saw him rise through the ranks, becoming the assistant director of music in 1919 and the senior director in 1920. In 1921, he joined the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, thanks to the recommendation of Karl Muck and Bruno Walter, and later became the chief musical director in Darmstadt in 1927 and Hamburg in 1931.

In 1933, Böhm made his debut in Vienna with Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde" and took over as head of Dresden's Semper Opera in 1934, succeeding Fritz Busch. During his tenure in Dresden, he conducted premieres of Richard Strauss's "Die schweigsame Frau" and "Daphne," among others. He became a permanent guest conductor at the Salzburg Festival in 1938 and held a top position at the Vienna State Opera from 1943.

Post-World War II, after a denazification ban, Böhm resumed his career, conducting at La Scala in Milan and the Vienna State Opera in Paris. He directed the German season at Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires and made his Metropolitan Opera debut in New York in 1957. Böhm was celebrated for his work at the Bayreuth Festivals, particularly in interpreting Wagner, and recorded the complete symphonies of Mozart.

Böhm's career was marked by his ability to elicit warmth, subtlety, and lyricism in his performances. He was honored with Grammy Awards in 1965 and 1976. Karl Böhm passed away on August 14, 1981, in Salzburg, Austria, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most influential conductors of the postwar classical world.