Breaking: Lahav Shani takes Munich
NewsIt has been confirmed today that the Israel conductor will be the next music director of the Munich Philharmonic.
He will leave the Rotterdam Phil in 2026, but not the Israel Philharmonic. Lahav sent a warm message to the Israeli musicians today that his commitment to them is absolute and will not be affected by his positions in Europe.
The Dutch are feeling slightly aggrieved, but Lahav, 34, will have spent eight years with them before he leaves. Munich are gaving to be patient: by the time Lahav arrives they will have gone four years without a music director.
The Munich post was formerly held by Valery Gergiev.
Excellent choice!!! It’s a match!
Gergiev was also at Rotterdam.
He will feel very much at home, I hope. Plus, Munich is super lucky all the way around.
You don`t say . Kamioner !…. “super lucky ” ? What are his qualifications ? Never heard of him in NYC….
He is kind of a boring conductor. Always very traditional interpretations. He does the job but nothing to be mind blowed by . And his repertoire is only hit based.
He is a sort of Zubin Mehta before the age…
I’m afraid I agree with that especially after witnessing a very well played but uninvolving performance of Mahler 6 with the Philharmonia in London.
Oh, God. I hope you’re wrong!
“…a sort of Zubin Mehta…”?!
Only hit based repertoire?? In Rotterdam I witnessed (among others) Leon Orthel and Willem Pijper (very rarely performed Dutch composers), Berg (intense and unforgettable performance of the three pieces opus 6), Schönberg, Ligeti, Penderecki, Widmann, Roustom, Ben Haïm and more. Not particularly hit based in my opinion. And yes, I’m feeling slightly aggrieved, but hopeful.
At least Mehta had decent technique
Oh joy.
Eight years in Rotterdam is decent. Maybe THEY will hire Mirga.
i doubt it……
So not Mirga then.
So much for that prediction
But, but, but… I’ve read so many times on Slipped Disc (mostly in the comments) that white men have no job chances any more! After all, only 96.89 percent of GMD/Chief Conductors in Germany are men!
He is amazing!
Great news. I have heard him for times with three different orchestra and he was always very good, specially in Tchaikovsky 5 with the Orchestre de Paris.
Tchaikovsky 5th is most of the time played on automatic pilot with nothing to say, well the music speaks for itself I guess. I don’t go out to hear it anymore, i remember an especially frustrating 5th with Janson’s and Concertgebouw, it was ok of course, but that’s just not what i expect from this music to be ok….with 0 risk taken…. “honey let’s take the Bentley out to go around the neighborhood ‘….Shani is a capable conductor, not an especially exciting one….but I admire Rotterdam for attracting rising stars of the podium…. of course the bride is never pretty enough….
Downgrade in my opinion…his predecessors were quite the artists…
I believe Lahav Shani will be the youngest director of the Munich Philharmonic in more than a century. I hastily looked at wikipedia and saw that the last conductor to take over in his 30s was Georg Schnéevoigt (1872–1947), a Finn (!), who led the Munich PO from 1905 to 1908.
Zubin Mehta set a precedent of holding North American and European positions, also in Munich, while always staying loyal to the IPO.
There is something with this shirt…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrZxapuFdLQ
From 7:07
Certainly a major figure on the current classical music scene, and yet the NYTimes ignored his January Carnegie Hall performance conducting the Israel Philharmonic…..anyone care to elaborate please?
Will I now be going to see the Munich Philharmonic?
Not if they don’t extend the repertoire.
Israel Philharmonic – הפילהרמונית הישראלית
15h ·
מזל טוב להב!
ברכות חמות על המינוי החדש והמשמח לתפקיד המנצח הראשי של הפילהרמונית של מינכן. המינוי יכנס לתוקף בעונת 27-26, במקביל לתפקיד המנהל המוזיקלי של הפילהרמונית הישראלית.
להב, גאים בך ומאחלים לך הצלחה!
Congratulations Lahav! We congratulate Lahav Shani on his appointment as Chief Conductor of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. The appointment will begin with the 2026-27 season, and Lahav will continue in his post as Music Director of the Israel Philharmonic.
We are proud of you, Lahav, and wish you lots of success!