Who conducted the orchestra in Disney’s 1940 film Fantasia?

Leopold Stokowski conducted the orchestra in Disney’s 1940 film Fantasia.

Stokowski led the Philadelphia Orchestra for the film’s musical performances. Fantasia combined classical compositions with animated sequences, presenting the music as a series of visual interpretations rather than as a conventional narrative.

The conductor appears in live-action sections between the animated episodes. His silhouette, gestures, and dramatic presentation helped frame the film as a concert experience. The best-known segment, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, stars Mickey Mouse as a young apprentice who misuses magic.

Stokowski was a major international conductor, and his participation gave the production a strong connection to concert-hall culture. A common mix-up is naming the Philadelphia Orchestra as the conductor; it supplied the performance, while Stokowski directed it.