A good day for announcing music directors – La Monnaie has a new one, too

He’s Ludovic Morlot, 38, a Frenchman who’s about to become chief condcutor in Seattle. Hope he enjoys the commute.

No offence, but I have a funny feeling that Glyndebourne got the better deal.

photo: Sussie Ahlburg

Here’s the press release.

French conductor Ludovic Morlot will take up the post of Chief Conductor at La Monnaie/de Munt from 1 January 2012. The contract will be for a period of five years, with the option to extend until the end of the second term of the General Director of La Monnaie, Peter de Caluwe (2019).

Ludovic Morlot (born in 1973) is Music Director of the Seattle Symphony, a position he will combine from 2012 with his role as Chief Conductor at La Monnaie.

During the 2010/11 season, Ludovic conducted acclaimed performances of Poulenc’s Les Mamelles de Tirésias at Opéra National de Lyon and Opéra Comique in Paris. His first season in Seattle includes a gala concert with Renée Fleming and two performances of Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust. He has also collaborated with many other distinguished singers including Barbara Hannigan, Dawn Upshaw, Jessye Norman and Thomas Hampson.

Ludovic Morlot is currently in Australia, conducting the Sydney and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras for the first time. Other recent debuts have included the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic and NDR Hamburg. A highlight of next season will be Ludovic’s performances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, with whom he has a very close relationship: two subscription weeks and a tour to the west coast of America including performances in Los Angeles and San Francisco. He also regularly conducts the New York Philharmonic and Chicago Symphony Orchestras.

His position at La Monnaie will allow him to develop his career as a conductor of opera and add to his already impressive work with symphony orchestras. During his first full season at La Monnaie, his performances will include the Bruneau Requiem as well as his first Pélleas et Mélisande.

Peter de Caluwe: “I am proud of Ludovic Morlot’s nomination, without doubt one of the greatest talents amongst the new generation of conductors. I am pleased that an artist with such an impressive international reputation will be at the helm of the Monnaie Symphony Orchestra. His experience with the major international orchestras will give without doubt, a positive input for our musicians. I look forward to our future collaboration together in both orchestral and operatic performances.”

Ludovic Morlot: “It is such a privilege to be associated with La Monnaie as its new Chief Conductor. I am very grateful to be given the opportunity to collaborate with this wonderful orchestra in both concert and opera productions and to work closely with Peter de Caluwe and his excellent artistic and administrative teams. I am so much looking forward to working with the players, singers and you all and feel extremely honoured and excited as we embark on this musical journey together.”