Dudamel Resigns from Paris Opera

Paris Opera

Interior of the Garnier

Photo by Lisa Hirsch

October, 2018

Here's a real surprise: Gustavo Dudamel is leaving the Paris Opera after only two seasons as its music director, effective in August. The appointment was its own surprise because he'd conducted hardly any opera at the time he was tapped for the job. (Anthony Tommasini wrote an article back then saying of course that was just fine! I thought he was being ridiculous. There is a link to the article in the article I linked to.)

All he's saying is that he wants to spend more time with his family, with whom he lives in Spain. Ahem. So for the next couple of years he'll be in LA a substantial part of the time anyway, then he'll be closer, anyway, with the new job in NY. We now know that one reason for the NY Phil position was, presumably, not for the shorter commute to Paris. 

Next question: who takes over Paris from him? Well, their former music director, Philippe Jordan, is leaving Vienna early, though (double ahem) he certainly wouldn't be my first choice. And Susanna Mälkki's term at the Helsinki Philharmonic is ending. Henrik Nanasi is a few years out from the Komische Oper now (and is a tremendous opera conductor). And there are tons of other good conductors out there.