Breaking: Vienna orchestra has new music director

The troubled Vienna Symphony Orchestra has chosen Petr Popelka, chief conductor of Prague and Oslo radio orchestras, as its next music director. He replaces Andres Orozco-Estrada, who stormed out 14 months ago.

Popelka, 37, has been a slow burner in a fertile generation of Czech conductors. Vienna could be his springboard to bigger things. He will start in 2024/25.

“I am very pleased about the outcome of the musicians’ vote” said Jan Nast, Intendant of the Wiener Symphoniker. “Following Andrés Orozco-Estrada unexpected departure, it was important for the orchestra to take its time and understand very carefully how his successor could match the Wiener Symphoniker’s personality.  As such, the selection was less about names than about the art and the possibilities to bring to life shared visions. The performance of Gustav Mahler’s First Symphony with Petr Popelka was memorable for many musicians – and, indeed, for me personally – suddenly we all felt that something unique was in the air. Working with Petr Popelka is inspiring, fruitful, always dialogic and characterised by an unwavering shared creative enthusiasm. I am glad that Petr Popelka will step into the future arm-in-arm with the Wiener Symphoniker. I am firmly convinced that we have found an exceptional artist in him, with whom we can further develop the distinctive spirit of the orchestra in the long term.”