Swedes keep changing conductors

Yesterday, Malmo Opera appointed Father Christmas to replace Joseph Swensen as music director.

Today it’s the Royal Opera at Stockholm. The new man is Lawrence Renes.

Here’s the agent blurb.

Lawrence Renes’ first production in his new role will be in the 2012/13 season, conducting Die Walküre. Initially contracted until 2016/17, he will lead four to six productions per year. He will also be involved in artistic planning with immediate effect.

With a wide-ranging opera repertoire encompassing Mozart, Wagner, Richard Strauss and John Adams, his DVD with De Nederlandse Opera of the Peter Sellars production of Doctor Atomic was released in 2008 and received widespread critical praise. His new post builds on his success in the Royal Swedish Opera’s production of Das Rheingold in April 2011.

Renes has been engaged at many of the most prestigious orchestras and opera houses in the world including the Sinfonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, BBC Symphony Orchestra, La Monnaie, English National Opera, Seattle Opera, Den Norske Opera and the Hamburgische Staatsoper. He makes his debut at San Francisco Opera in June 2012.