Breaking: The Met’s loss is Denmark’s gain

Fabio Luisi, who had been lined up by Peter Gelb to replace James Levine (only for Levine to reclaim his post), has been announced this morning as principal conductor of the Danish Radio orchestra.

He succeeds the late Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos.

Expressions of delight from Copenhagen.

Congrats all round.

(Will he get a role in a Borgen revival?)

UPDATE:

Press release:

Introducing the Danish National Symphony Orchestra’s new principal conductor

He belongs to conducting’s international super league and has been described as the ideal choice to head the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. His name is Fabio Luisi, and today Kim Bohr, director of music at DR, reveals that the Italian maestro has signed a three-year contract to serve as the orchestra’s next principal conductor.

Fifty-five-year-old Fabio Luisi is one of the most coveted maestros of the day. He has received a number of Grammy Awards for his recordings, inspires breathless reviews for his concerts, and is currently general music director of the Zurich Opera and principal conductor of the Metropolitan Opera, New York.

Kim Bohr, director of music at DR, says of the agreement:

”That we’ve been able to attract a conductor of Fabio Luisi’s standing is quite fantastic. There is no doubt that he is the perfect match for the orchestra as regards both heart and mind. His desire to work with the deepest layers of the music and bring out the most beautiful, most nuanced musical expressions is truly extraordinary. I am very proud and absolutely delighted on the orchestra’s behalf.”

Fabio Luisi is quick to respond to the enthusiasm for this new partnership:
“I am very proud to become this orchestra’s new principal conductor. I have loved the Danish National Symphony Orchestra from the first moment, we worked together in 2010, and the perspective to work with these wonderful musicians intensively in the next years fills me with great happiness.”

Initially Fabio Luisi has signed a three-year contract with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra from 2017 to 2020. The contract features an agreement that his work with the orchestra will steadily increase as 2017 approaches.

Kim Bohr’s take on this is as follows:

”You cannot appoint a top conductor at short notice. There are simply too many other commitments in Luisi’s diary for us to piece together a viable position as principal conductor earlier than 2017. But we have ensured that his presence in Copenhagen will grow over the next couple of years as he plays a more and more active part in the life of the orchestra.”

Fabio Luisi also says of the orchestra:
“I know DNSO as an orchestra with amazing knowledge of the symphonic repertoire and an astonishing open-minded spirit: in our former encounters and in the talks I had with the management I could literally smell a strong will of placing itself among the best world’s orchestras: I hope to be helpful to the orchestra in order to achieve this goal.”

Among the players the news was greeted with delight, and René Mathiesen, the orchestra chair, says on their behalf:

“When the news broke there were scenes of jubilation like those at a football match when your own team scores. With Luisi as our principal conductor we will be able to maintain our current levels of artistic ambition and reach even higher. He is just the right choice for us: an impassioned artist, a natural authority on the stand, and an amazingly likeable person.”

About Fabio Luisi

Fabio Luisi is one of the hottest conductors on the international music scene. Orchestras are lining up to engage the fifty-five year-old Italian, who divides his working life between Europe and the USA. He is currently General Music Director of the Zurich Opera and Principal Conductor of the Metropolitan Opera, New York.

Maestro Luisi’s previous appointments include serving as Chief Conductor of Vienna Symphony Orchestra; General Music Director of the Dresden Staatskapelle and the magnificent Sächsische Staatsoper before the Metropolitan Opera grabbed him.

Fabio Luisi received a Grammy Award for conducting Wagner at the Met in performances released on DVD. His latest recordings include Gounod’s operaRoméo et Juliette on CD. At purely orchestral concerts he often conducts the great late romantic works whose complicated, colourful scores demand sublime technique and huge clarity of vision.

Facts about Fabio Luisi

• Italian conductor, born in Genoa in 1959
• General Music Director of the Zurich Opera and Principal Conductor of the Metropolitan. Opera, New York. Future Principal Conductor of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra 2017-2020.

• Previous appointments include: General Music Director of the Dresden Staatskapelle and Sächsische Staatsoper; chief conductor of Vienna Symphony Orchestra; Music Director of Orchestre de la Suisse Romande.