Star conductor Dudamel resigns from Paris Opera

Pallade Veneta - Star conductor Dudamel resigns from Paris Opera

CULTURE 25.05.2023

Star conductor Dudamel resigns from Paris Opera / Photo: JOEL SAGET - AFP

Venezuela's acclaimed conductor Gustavo Dudamel on Thursday said he was stepping down from his role as musical director of the Paris Opera.

Change text size:

"It is with a heavy heart, and after much thought, that I announce my resignation from the post of musical director of the Paris Opera in order to spend more time with my family," he said.

Dudamel, 42, signed on to lead the opera in 2021 for six years, telling AFP he wanted to break down the walls of the fabled institution in search of new audiences.

"We live in a time that, I believe, has profoundly and intimately shaken our beings," he said.

"I have no other projects than to be with my family members."

The New York Philharmonic in February announced that the Venezuelan maestro would become its music and artistic director for five years from 2026.

Dudamel, recognisable by his curly hair, has also held the same position at the Los Angeles Phil since 2009.

He is also artistic director of the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela.

Alexander Neef, director general of the Paris Opera, thanked the conductor, saying his "passion and immense talent have greatly contributed to the opera's repertoire".

Before becoming musical director of the Paris Opera, Dudamel had performed there only once, directing La Boheme by Puccini in 2017.

A.Saggese--PV

Jersey Boys Anniversary Tour Opens in Birmingham With Gritty Account of Crime and Fame

The 20th-anniversary tour of Jersey Boys has opened at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre, offering a gritty and unvarnished look at the Four Seasons’ journey. The production details the band's turbulent rise from New Jersey petty criminals to international rock stars, highlighting the complex personal costs behind their musical success.

UBC professor describes police call after Galloway remark as act of care

VANCOUVER — A University of British Columbia professor has testified about a colleague’s decision to call police to visit Steven Galloway after he was accused of sexual assault, describing it as an “act of care” toward the author, who had spoken of killing himself. Galloway, who is suing his accuser and others in a defamation trial centred on the unproven allegations, has described his subsequent committal to a hospital in the United States as “terrifying.

Pallade Veneta - Star conductor Dudamel resigns from Paris Opera