Metropolitan Opera Names New Music Director
The Metropolitan Opera has a new music director! Yannick Nézet-Séguin will be taking over the position from James Levine.
The Announcement
The Metropolitan Opera has finally announced their new music director after a long and heated search. Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the current music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, will be taking over for James Levine as the Metropolitan Opera’s new music director.
The date of the announcement
The Metropolitan Opera has announced that Yannick Nézet-Séguin will be its new music director, effective immediately.
Nézet-Séguin, who is currently music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra and chief conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic, succeeds James Levine, who was music director from 1976 to 2016. Levine’s tenure was marked by controversies, including allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denied.
“It is with great pleasure that we welcome Yannick Nézet-Séguin as the Metropolitan Opera’s new music director,” said Peter Gelb, the Met’s general manager. “He is one of the most gifted conductors of our time, and we are confident that he will build on the great legacy of his predecessors and take the Met to even greater heights.”
Nézet-Séguin said he was “humbled and honored” to be named music director. “I have been a frequent visitor to the Met over the years, and it is a privilege to now be joining this company as its music director,” he said.
The location of the announcement
The Metropolitan Opera announced today that Yannick Nézet-Séguin will become the company’s new music director, succeeding James Levine.
Nézet-Séguin, who is currently music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra and artistic director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, will assume his new role at the Met in September 2020. He will serve as music director-designate for the 2019-20 season and will conduct three productions during that time.
Who made the announcement
On April 8, 2020, the Metropolitan Opera announced that Yannick Nézet-Séguin would be the next music director, effective with the 20-20-21 season.
The New Music Director
The Metropolitan Opera has a new music director! His name is Yannick Nézet-Séguin, and he is a 42-year-old Canadian conductor. He is currently the music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the artistic director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also held positions with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.
The name of the new music director
The Metropolitan Opera has announced the appointment of Yannick Nézet-Séguin as its new music director, effective with the 2020-21 season. He will succeed James Levine, who held the position for more than 40 years.
Nézet-Séguin, a 42-year-old Canadian, is currently music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra and principal conductor of the Orchestre Métropolitain in Montreal. He has been widely praised for his work with both orchestras, and his contract with the Philadelphia Orchestra was recently extended through 2025.
At the Metropolitan Opera, Nézet-Séguin will be responsible for leading the company’s orchestra and chorus in all operas and concerts. He will also collaborate with other artists on new productions and special projects.
The experience of the new music director
Making his Metropolitan Opera debut in 2006, Yannick Nézet-Séguin is one of the most sought-after conductors in the world. He is currently the music director of both the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal.
Nézet-Séguin was born in Montreal in 1975 to a father from Martinique and a Québécois mother. At an early age, he began playing piano and soon developed a passion for choral music, singing in a boys’ choir. He went on to study conducting at Montreal’s Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal, where he graduated with first prize in 1999.
After completing his studies, Nézet-Séguin became an assistant conductor at both the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra. In 2006, he made his debut with the Metropolitan Opera, leading a production of Bizet’s Carmen. That same year, he was named music director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, a position he held until 2012.
Nézet-Seguin has conducted many of the world’s most prestigious orchestras, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra,the New York Philharmonic, and The Cleveland Orchestra. He has also been a guest conductor at opera houses such as La Scala, Vienna State Opera, and The Royal Opera House.
In 2010, Nézet-Seguin was named music director of Philadelphia’s world-renowned orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra. He is currently serving as music director of two orchestras—the Philadelphia Orchestra and Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal—making him one of only a handful of conductors to hold this distinction.
Nézet-Seguin is widely respected for his mastery of both symphonic repertoire and opera. He has conducted numerous operas at The Metropolitan Opera House such as Carmen (2006),Don Giovanni (2007), Romeo et Juliette (2008), Les Troyens (2013), Otello (2013), Rusalka (2014), La Boheme (2015), and Lucia di Lammermoor (2017). In addition to his work in New York City, Nézet-Seguin has also conducted operas at La Scala Milan, Vienna State Opera House , Royal Opera House Covent Garden , Opèra National de Paris , Lyric Opera Chicago , San Francisco Opera , Canadian Opera Company among others .
The education of the new music director
However, Mr. Gelb has insisted that the new music director be somebody who not only had “a great passion for opera,” but also “a demonstrated ability to work with singers and inspire them.” In other words, he was looking for a great musician who would also be a good educator — someone who could work with the young singers in the Met’s training program and help them develop their craft.
The search took two years, and in the end, Mr. Gelb chose Yannick Nézet-Séguin, a 41-year-old French-Canadian conductor who is currently music director of both the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Orchestre Métropolitain in Montreal. He will take up his new position at the Met in September 2020, succeeding James Levine, who stepped down last year for health reasons.
The Reactions
The announcement of Yannick Nezet-Seguin as the Metropolitan Opera’s new music director has been met with mixed reactions. Some feel that he is too young and inexperienced for the job, while others are thrilled that the Metropolitan Opera is finally embracing a more contemporary sound.
The positive reactions
The New York Times Classical Music Critic Anthony Tommasini wrote: “The selection of Mr. Nézet-Séguin, 42, a charismatic Canadian maestro with a fast-track career, comes as a bit of a surprise, but in the best sense. It says that the Met is thinking outside the box and willing to take a chance on an unconventional choice.”
The Wall Street Journal music critic, Heidi Waleson agreed, writing that Nézet-Séguin’s “youth and energy – he will be 43 when his term starts – are invigorating.”
Waleson continued: “He has conducted at the Met before, most recently in 2013, when he replaced James Levine in two performances of Berlioz’s Les Troyens. But his real attachment to the house is evident from his often noted delight in conversations with singers during rehearsals – an unusual trait for a conductor – which has won him admirers among both audiences and performers.”
The negative reactions
The recent announcement that Yannick Nézet-Séguin would be the next music director of the Metropolitan Opera has been met with some negative reactions.
Critics have argued that Nézet-Séguin is too young and inexperienced to take on such a prestigious role. They also point to his lack of experience conducting opera, as most of his work has been in symphonic music.
Some have also raised concerns about his ties to the Canadian Opera Company, where he is currently the artistic director. They worry that he will give preferential treatment to Canadian singers and operas.
Others argue that theMetropolitan Opera needs a fresh start, and that Nézet-Séguin is the perfect person to provide it. They are excited about his energy and passion for opera, and believe that he has the potential to be a great leader for the company.
The mixed reactions
The announcement of Metropolitan Opera’s new music director, Maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin, has been met with mixed reactions from the opera world. Some critics have praised the choice, calling Nézet-Séguin a “brilliant” conductor with a “keen musical intellect.” Others have been more critical, arguing that the Met made a “safe” choice in selecting a music director who is not particularly innovative or daring.
