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Appointments/Retirements
Yannick Nézet-Séguin has signed an extended contract as director of the Metropolitan Opera. After joining the organization in the 2018-19 season, this newest contract extends his tenure for another six years through to 2029-30. Highlights of the upcoming seasons includes full presentations of Wagner’s Ring Cycle beginning in 2027-28, four new opera premières at the Met, and a new staging of Le Nozze di Figaro.
The Regina Symphony Orchestra has appointed Samuel Deason as their new Executive Director. This announcement, in addition to the two-year extended appointment of Music Director Gordon Gerrard, completes the executive team at the RSO with a worldly pianist who grew up on the Prairies. The orchestra is excited for great accomplishments with this new team member in 2024-25.
Samuel Deason
Henry Kennedy has been appointed the new Resident Conductor of the NAC Orchestra. From Nova Scotia, Kennedy is excited to return to Canada after spending most of his life and career in the United Kingdom. His appointment officially begins in September, though Kennedy will be in Ottawa to attend the orchestra’s summer concert series.
Awards
The Glenn Gould Foundation presented the 14th annual Glenn Gould Prize to Maestro Gustavo Dudamel on Aug. 2. This prestigious award recognizes exceptional musical achievements that reflect the unique and innovative spirit of Glenn Gould himself. Maestro Dudamel was awarded a $100,000 cash prize and had the opportunity to select two laureates to share the Glenn Gould Protégé Prize—an award that acknowledges the vital power of mentorship in the arts. Andrés David Ascanio Abreu and Enluis Montes Olivar were selected for their exceptional promise, earning them a cash award of $25,000.
Gustavo Dudamel
The Azrieli Music Foundation has announced the 2024 Gala Concert will take place on Oct. 28 at the Maison symphonique de Montréal. Celebrating this year’s laureates, the gala will explore the contemporary musical imaginations of each winner. The four laureates are Josef Bardanshvili, Yair Klartag, Jordan Nobles, and Juan Trigos. Each prize package is valued at $200,000.
News
Sir John Eliot Gardiner, founder of the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestras, has stepped down from his role as leader and Artistic Director, effective immediately. This decision is following a year of therapy and “soul-searching” since an inappropriate outburst at the August 2023 Festival Berlioz at La Côte-Saint-André. Gardiner is not retiring, but rather choosing to focus on other projects at this time.
The Orchestre classique de Montréal has announced the end of Conductor Jacques Lacombe’s leadership of the orchestra. In a press release, the orchestra thanked Maestro Lacombe for his many contributions and wished him well in future endeavours.
Jacques Lacombe, photo by Fred Stucker
Opera de Montréal has removed the age limit from the audition criteria for Atelier lyrique’s 2025-26 national auditions. The Atelier lyrique program is a professional training residency for Canadian opera singers and pianist-vocal coaches.
The bilingual program offers training in all aspects of artistic, professional, and personal development. Finalists will be invited to perform in a talent gala, where prizes of up to $10,000 will be awarded. Deadline for applications is Sept. 9, 2024.
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