Ansermet, ahn sehr MAY, Ernest (1883-1969), a Swiss conductor, became internationally known as the founder and conductor of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, of Geneva. The orchestra won wide acclaim for its recordings. Earlier, Ansermet conducted first performances of works by Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Prokofiev, and Maurice Ravel for Sergei Diaghilev's Russian Ballet. He was born in Vevey.