Neumann made his debut as a conductor with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in 1948, remaining as a conductor with that ensemble through 1950.[1] In 1951 he became principal conductor of the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra. He left that post in 1954 to become principal conductor of the Brno Symphony Orchestra (SOKB). In 1956, he began to conduct at the Komische Oper in Berlin; beginning with a celebrated production of Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen on 30 May 1956.[1] He toured with that production to Paris and Weisbaden; conducting a total of 215 performance between the three cities.[1] He remained at the Komische Oper for eight years, leaving in 1964 to become conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and General Music Director of the Leipzig Opera.[1] He stayed there until 1968, when he became principal conductor of the Czech Philharmonic, a post he held until 1990 and again in 1992-1993.[1] He was concurrently General Music Director of the Stuttgart Staatsoper from 1970 through 1973.[1]
