Gustavo Dudamel Steps Down as Music Director of Paris Opera in Surprise Move

That was fast. Gustavo Dudamel announced Thursday morning that he will step down as music director of the Paris Opera in July, at the end of its second season, four years before his contract expires.

Dudamel was expected to remain in Paris at least until the 2026-27 season, which also coincides with what will be his first season as music director of the New York Philharmonic. News of that appointment broke in February.

In the meantime, however, the sudden departure from Paris likely won’t affect Dudamel’s position as music and artistic director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for its remaining three seasons here, and he’s currently in town to conduct the orchestra this season. season. Last two weeks of concerts. He also remains music director of the Simón Bolívar Orchestra of Venezuela, which will bring him to the Edinburgh International Festival this summer.

“It is with a heavy heart, and after long consideration, that I announce my resignation as Music Director of the Paris Opera,” Dudamel writes in his official statement, “in order to spend more time with my family.”

He goes on to say that he has “no other plans than to be with my loved ones, whom I am deeply grateful for helping me remain strong in my determination to grow and remain challenged, both personally and artistically, each and every day.”

Beyond that, neither Dudamel nor the Paris Opera have yet provided any further explanation for his departure, other than to say that a revised schedule for the 2023-24 season will be announced shortly. This leaves in doubt the director’s involvement in notable new Parisian productions of Wagner’s “Lohengrin” and Thomas Adès’ “The Exterminating Angel”.

What particularly draws the attention of the news is the good reception that Dudamel has had in Paris. He has been popular with the public, the press and, crucially for France, where government support for the arts is exceptional, with politicians. In September, following an acclaimed performance of “Tosca,” President Emmanuel Macron, a regular at the opera, named Dudamel an officer of France’s Order of Arts and Letters. A recent new production, directed by Dudamel, of John Adams’ “Nixon in China” turned out to be a timely success.

By all accounts, Dudamel’s presence in Paris seemed to usher in a new era for opera and ballet. Dudamel intended to work closely with the Paris Opera Ballet, which he brought to the Hollywood Bowl last summer. But in April, Dudamel pulled out of directing Adès’ “The Dante Project,” which featured choreography by Wayne McGregor. He was replaced at the last minute by former LA Phil Dudamel Fellow Courtney Lewis, music director of the Jacksonville Symphony in Florida.

Dudamel is not the first LA Phil honcho to summarily quit the Paris Opera. In 1965, visionary Los Angeles manager Ernest Fleischmann resigned to direct the Paris Opera, which was about to open an opera house. Working with composer Pierre Boulez and conductor Daniel Barenboim, Fleischmann aimed to revolutionize opera. Ten days later, after running into political and business obstacles, Fleischmann applied for and got his old job back in Los Angeles. He then went on to radically remake the LA Phil by building the Walt Disney Concert Hall, hiring Esa-Pekka Salonen and, as chair of a conducting competition in Germany, helping to discover Dudamel.

Dudamel, himself, returns to a changed LA Phil. CEO Chad Smith announced his resignation last week to become president and CEO of the Boston Symphony; The LA Phil board of directors announced that COO Daniel Song will serve as temporary CEO. With the Paris post, Dudamel, who splits his time between Madrid and Los Angeles, seemed to be increasing attention on his career in Europe. It remains to be seen how much that will change. But now he will have more opportunities, if he wishes, to make a Fleischmann.

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