Friday, December 22, 2023

Music Director Updates

I am sadly far behind in maintaining this. Here are some updates. I'm absolutely certain that I am missing some.

  • Donald Runnicles leaves the Deutsche Oper Berlin at the end of 2025-26.
  • Donald Runnicles takes up the Dresden Philharmonic at the beginning of 2025-26. He succeeds Marek Janowski.
  • Christian Thielemann succeeds Daniel Barenboim at the Berlin State Opera.
  • Daniele Gatti succeeds Christian Thielemann at the Dresden Staatskapelle in mid-2024. (Note: he lost a job earlier in this century owing to accusations of sexual misconduct.)
  • Krzysztof Urbański becomes chief conductor of the Bern Symphony Orchestra at the beginning of the 2024-25 season.
  • Eric Jacobsen is now music director of the Virginia Symphony.
  • Long Yu is now the music director of the Shanghai Symphony.
  • David Robertson appointed creative partner of Utah Opera / Utah Symphony, for three-year period starting in 2023-24.
  • Kwame Ryan appointed music director of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra as of the 2024-25 season.
  • Philippe Auguin is conductor-in-residence of the Greek National Opera Stavros Niarchos Cultural Center.
  • Giancarlo Guerrero to leave the Nashville Symphony at the end of the 2024-25 season.
  • Gustavo Dudamel resigned from the Paris Opera after only two years.

Open positions:

  • Paris Opera is currently without a music director.
  • Nashville Symphony, when Giancarlo Guerrero leaves.
  • Deutsche Oper Berlin, when Donald Runnicles leaves.
  • Hallé Orchestra, when Mark Elder leaves.
  • Rottedam Philharmonic, when Lahav Shani leaves.
  • Los Angeles Philharmonic, as of 2026-27, when Gustavo Dudamel leaves for NY.
  • Indianapolis Symphony, where Jun Märkel is artistic advisor.
  • Sarasota Orchestra, following the death of Bramwell Tovey.
  • Seattle Symphony, following Thomas Dausgaard's abrupt departure in January, 2022.
  • Chicago Symphony Orchestra, where Riccardo Muti left at the end of 2022-23.
  • Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra: open in 2024 when Louis Langree steps down.
  • Hong Kong Philharmonic, when Jaap van Zweden leaves in 2024.
  • Oakland Symphony, owing to the death of Michael Morgan in August, 2021.
  • Teatro Regio Turin: Open now with departure of Gianandrea Noseda. The Teatro Regio has not named a new music director.
  • Minnesota Opera: Michael Christie has left. MO has not named a new music director. 
  • Marin Symphony, at the end of 2022-23.
  • Vienna Staatsoper, when Philippe Jordan leaves at the end of 2025.
Conductors looking for jobs (that is, as of the near future, or now, they do not have a posting). The big mystery, to me, is why an orchestra hasn't snapped up Susanna Mälkki. Slightly lesser mystery: Henrik Nanasi, whose superb Cosi fan tutte is still lingering in my ears.
  • Osmo Vänskä
  • Susanna Mälkki, who left the Helsinki Philharmonic at the end of 2022-23.
  • MGT (apparently does not want a full-time job, as of early 2022)
  • Miguel Harth-Bedoya (seems settled in at Baylor)
  • Lionel Bringuier
  • Sian Edwards
  • Ingo Metzmacher
  • Jac van Steen
  • Mark Wigglesworth
  • Peter Oundjian
  • Ilan Volkov
  • Aleksandr Markovic
  • Lothar Koenigs
  • Henrik Nanasi
  • Philippe Jordan, eventually
And closed:

  • Update and correction: San Francisco Chamber Orchestra was unable to hire Cosette Justo Valdés. Instead, Jory Fankuchen, a violinist in the orchestra, has been named Principal Conductor and will lead this season's programs.
  • Shanghai Symphony, with the appointment of Long Yu.
  • Virginia Symphony, with the appointment of Eric Jacobsen.
  • Bern Symphony, with the appointment of Krzysztof Urbański.
  • Berlin State Opera, with the appointment of Christian Thielemann.
  • Dresden Philharmonic, with the appointment of Donald Runnicles.
  • New York Philharmonic, with the appointment of Gustavo Dudamel. Note that Jaap van Zweden leaves in 2024 and there will be a two-season gap until Dudamel arrives.
  • Helsinki Philharmonic: Jukka-Pekka Saraste to succeed Susanna Mälkki.
  • Staatskapelle Dresden, with the appointment of Daniele Gatti.
  • Seoul Philharmonic appoints Jaap van Zweden.
  • Royal Opera appoints Jakub Hrůša to succeed Antonio Pappano in September, 2025.