The Royal Opera House (ROH) has announced that Sir Antonio Pappano will continue as the London-based opera house’s music director until the end of its 2023-24 season.
The award-winning conductor and pianist was first named as ROH’s music director in 2002, becoming the youngest conductor to lead the opera house’s orchestra. He will preside over an exciting roster of operas over the next three seasons at the Royal Opera House. Starting in 2021-22, he will conduct new productions of Verdi’s Rigoletto (1851) and Saint-Saëns’s Samson et Dalila (1877), as well as revivals of such classics as The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart, 1786), Cavalleria rusticana (Rustic Chivalry, Mascagni, 1890) and Pagliacci (Clowns, Leoncavallo, 1892).
Beyond this, Pappano will continue his close relationship with the Covent Garden opera house as he conducts a new cycle of Richard Wagner’s iconic Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), which will unite him with acclaimed stage director Barrie Kosky. The new Ring cycle will begin with Das Rheingold (1869) in September 2023.
Earlier this year it was announced that Pappano will join the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) as chief conductor designate in the orchestra’s 2023-24 season. He will assume full responsibility as chief conductor in September 2024. He first guest-conducted the orchestra in 1996.
“Over the last 20 years the ROH has become my family, my home and my heart,” Pappano commented. “The richness and depth of my relationship with UK audiences is hugely important to me and I am thrilled to be able to continue this with the LSO. I am excited to embrace future projects with friends and colleagues at the ROH over the next three seasons and I look forward to continuing our close and wonderful association over the many years ahead.”
The conductor has received many awards including Gramophone’s Artist of the Year in 2000, the 2003 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera, the 2004 Royal Philharmonic Society Music Award and the Académie du Disque Lyrique’s Bruno Walter prize. In 2012 he was knighted in the UK’s 2012 New Year Honours for services to music. In the same year he was made a Cavaliere di Gran Croce of the Republic of Italy.
Royal Opera House Chief Executive Alex Beard said: “I am delighted that Tony has decided to make the UK his long-term musical base, continuing his commitment to enhancing musical life in London and ensuring his close relationship with UK-wide audiences is ongoing. This is fantastic news for London as we collectively rebuild the arts following the pandemic. I look forward to the next three seasons of remarkable music-making together at Covent Garden, Tony’s operatic home, and to many years of close friendship and association.”
The successor for the post of ROH Music Director will be announced in future seasons. The position is generously supported by Mrs Susan A Olde OBE.
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Award-winning conductor and pianist Antonio Pappano will continue as music director of the Royal Opera House until the end of the 2023-24 season (Sim Canetty-Clarke).