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Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor

Photo Marco Borggreve

Yannick Nézet-Séguin is among the most sought after young conductors in the world. His personal approach to music, his respect towards the musicians and the public, his loyalty, his generosity as well as his charismatic personality bring him the affection of all.

In June 2010, Yannick Nézet-Séguin becomes Music Director Designate of the prestigious Philadelphia Orchestra, one of the renowned “big five” of the United States of America, beginning his functions September 2012. He continues as Music Director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra where, at the start of the 2008/2009 season, he has succeeded to Valery Gergiev. He remains Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal, a position he took up in March 2000. Since 2008, he is also Principal Guest Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. A native of Montreal, he studied there at the Conservatoire de Musique du Québec and followed master classes with renowned conductors, notably the great Italian maestro Carlo Maria Giulini.

Following a series of successful European debuts in 2004/2005, he has appeared with many leading orchestras, such as the Dresden Staatskapelle, Orchestre National de France, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Since 2008, he made acclaimed first visits to the Philadelphia Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra (Washington), Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Wiener Philharmoniker and the Tonhalle Orchestra (Zurich). Debuts are planned with Chicago Symphony, Berliner Philharmoniker and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra.

Recent opera productions in Canada were Gounod’s Faust (Canadian Opera, 2007) and Madama Butterfly (Opéra de Montréal, 2008) and he will return to Opéra de Montréal with Salomé in 2010/2011. After an outstandingly successful debut at the 2008 Salzburg Festival, conducting a new production of Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette with the Mozarteum Orchestra and a cast led by Rolando Villazon and Niño Machaidze, he will return for two operas (Mozart’s Don Giovanni, with the Wiener Philharmoniker, and Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, again with the Mozarteum Orchestra)at the 2010 edition. He also made acclaimed debut at the Netherlands Opera (Amsterdam) in May 2009 (The Makropoulos Case), returning a year later for Turandot. In December 2009, he made greatly acclaimed Metropolitan Opera debut with a new production of Carmen starring Roberto Alagna and Elina Garanča, and will appear there every season from now on. Future opera also includes La Scala di Milano and the Royal Opera House of Covent Garden, London, respectively in 2010/2011 and 2011/2012.

During 2010, his plans with the Rotterdam Philharmonic include, in addition to one concert every year at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, three programs at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, as part of their recently announced residency, his first appearance with the orchestra at the 2010 BBC Proms and the closing concert of the 2010 Gergiev Festival in Rotterdam.

Photo Marco Borggreve
Photo Marco Borggreve

His Rotterdam Philharmonic recordings include a series of three discs for EMI Classics/Virgin Classics, all released during the current season to exceptional reviews: Ravel orchestral works; the Beethoven and Korngold violin concertos with Renaud Capuçon; and ‘Fantasy: A Night at the Opera’ with flautist Emmanuel Pahud. BIS Records will also shortly launch a series of recordings with Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique and La Mort de Cléopâtre (soloist: Anna Caterina Antonacci). His award-winning recordings with the Orchestre Métropolitain are featured on the dynamic Canadian label ATMA Classique and his most recent releases, La Mer (a collection of works by Debussy, Britten and Mercure) and Bruckner symphonies No. 7, 8 and 9 have all been very favourably received.

In May 2009, he received in London the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Award (Young Artists category), highlighting his flair, originality, maturity and engagement with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Other prizes include the Virginia-Parker Award from the Canada Council (2000) and many Prix Opus from the Conseil québécois de la musique. In June 2010, he received the National Arts Centre Award presented by the Governor General for Performing Arts Awards, in recognition of his achievements over the past year, a time where his star has continued to rise, both in Canada and around the globe.
  Updated March 1st, 2010