Musical Chairs March 2025

Musical chairs

Pass The Baton

  • Marc Albrecht will become the Chief Conductor of Antwerp Symphony Orchestra from the beginning of the 2026-27 season, serving as Chief Conductor Designate during the 2025-26 season. Known for his interpretations of late-Romantic German-Austrian repertoire and contemporary music, Albrecht was previously recognised as a Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion for his contributions to Dutch musical life.
  • Ellie Slorach has been appointed as the Royal Northern Sinfonia’s new Associate Conductor. Known for her standout performances, including her BBC Proms debut at The Glasshouse in July 2024, Slorach will lead family-friendly events such as BBC Ten Pieces in Concert and How to Train Your Dragon with live orchestral music. She joins
    Principal Conductor Dinis Sousa, Principal Guest Conductor Nil Vendetti and Artistic Partner Maria Włoszczowska to ensure The Glasshouse remains a hub for world-class music and talent development.
  • Susanna Mälkki has been appointed as a part-time Professor of Orchestral Conducting at the Sibelius Academy. She will balance this prestigious role with her ongoing international conducting career in opera and concerts.
  • Alexander Liebreich has been appointed as Chief Conductor of the Taipei Symphony Orchestra. Liebreich, who first guest conducted the orchestra in 2008, has signed an initial three-year contract starting in 2026 and will succeed Eliahu Inbal, who will become Conductor Laureate.

Los Angeles Philharmonic announces 2025-26 Dudamel Fellows

The Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) has announced its 2025-26 Dudamel Fellows: Miguel Sepúlveda, Ana María Patiño-Osorio, José Salazar and Kinga Głowacka. The rising conductors will work alongside Gustavo Dudamel, honing their skills and collaborating with LA Phil musicians, visiting artists and students in key education programmes like YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) and Symphonies for Youth. The Dudamel Fellowship Program, established in 2009, provides a unique opportunity for promising young conductors to develop their craft through personal mentorship and participation
in the LA Phil’s orchestral, education and community
initiatives.

The fellows will refine their skills through observation and application, including conducting youth concerts at Walt Disney Concert Hall and participating as cover conductors. This season is particularly significant as it marks Dudamel’s final year leading the LA Phil before he joins the New York Philharmonic in 2026.

Opera

  • Anna Handler has been appointed as Kapellmeister at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, commencing in the 2025-26 season, where she will conduct 11 opera performances in her first year. Previously, she served as a Dudamel Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and will return to conduct at the Hollywood Bowl in July 2025. Handler also holds the position of Assistant Conductor with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, where she will make her subscription debut at Symphony Hall in the 2025-26 season.
  • Lina González-Granados has extended her contract as LA Opera’s Resident Conductor, a role she has held since 2022. The three-year extension will keep her with the company until the end of the 2027-28 season. This season, she appeared in Coming Home: Angel Blue in Concert, and next season she will conduct the company’s production of
    La bohème.

Ballet

  • Frédéric Olivieri has been appointed as the Director of the Ballet of Teatro alla Scala in Milan, succeeding Manuel Legris. Olivieri, who currently directs the ballet school, will serve for two seasons. This marks his third tenure as Director of the ballet company, having previously led the company from 2002 to 2007 and again from 2017 to 2020, during which he expanded the repertoire with works by renowned choreographers.
  • Javier Torres will continue as Artistic Director of the Finnish National Ballet until the end of July 2029, following a unanimous decision by the Board to extend his tenure. Torres, who has been in the role since August 2022, brings over 30 years of experience in ballet and contemporary dance, and has fostered stability and a modern working culture within the company. His leadership has been praised for its artistic breadth and strategic approach.
  • David Dawson has been appointed as the Resident Choreographer of the National Ballet of Canada, following the North American premiere of his ballet The Four Seasons. Dawson, a renowned British choreographer known for expanding classical ballet boundaries, previously served as Resident Choreographer for Dutch National Ballet and has been Associate Artist since 2015. He will create a new full-length work for the company’s 75th anniversary season in 2026-27. Dawson’s appointment marks the first Resident Choreographer position at the National Ballet since 2007.
  • Ivan Gil-Ortega has been appointed as the seventh Artistic Director of Queensland Ballet. He succeeds Greg Horsman, who served as Acting Artistic Director following Leanne Benjamin’s departure in August 2024. Gil-Ortega brings over 25 years of experience in ballet and aims to nurture home-grown talent and explore global collaborations, aligning with Queensland Ballet’s 65th anniversary celebrations.

Appointments

  • Matthew Lutton OAM has been appointed Artistic Director of the Adelaide Festival from 2026 to 2028, following a global search. Lutton, renowned for his transformative leadership at Melbourne’s Malthouse Theatre and as Artistic Director of Perth-based ThinIce, brings extensive experience in theatre, opera and international collaborations, with acclaimed productions such as Picnic at Hanging Rock and The Flying Dutchman. He succeeds Brett Sheehy AO, who will return as Artistic Director for the 2025 Festival after Ruth Mackenzie CBE accepted a new role as Program Director, Arts, Culture and Creative Industries Policy within the South Australian Government. Mackenzie will oversee the development of the state’s landmark arts and culture strategy in her new position.
  • Paul Fitzpatrick has been appointed as the first Chief Executive of the Benedetti Foundation. He joins from the National Theatre of Scotland, where he serves as Director of Creative Engagement. Fitzpatrick will work closely with Nicola Benedetti to implement the foundation’s educational mission and manage its growing team.
  • Matthias Lutzweiler has been appointed as the new CEO of the Naxos Music Group, effective immediately. Lutzweiler, who has been Acting CEO since October 2024, will be supported by Jeffrey Lien (Global Deputy CEO) and Iwen Schmees (Global COO). Under Lutzweiler’s leadership, Naxos will focus on strengthening its core business, expanding into new markets and technologies, and fostering partnerships with artists and institutions to drive innovation and growth in the classical music industry.
  • Rushil Ranjan and Abi Sampa have been appointed as the Royal Albert Hall’s new Associate Artists, following their groundbreaking Orchestral Qawwali Project, which sold out the venue last year. The duo, renowned for pioneering Qawwali music, will create new commissions, curate a series of shows and collaborate with other artists across music, dance and poetry. Ranjan and Sampa, who will serve until 2027, succeed previous Associate Artists Anna Lapwood, Corey Baker, Jess Gillam
  • and LionHeart.