SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - Renowned South Korean conductor Chung Myung-whun has been appointed as the next music director of Italy’s prestigious Teatro alla Scala in Milan, marking the first time an Asian musician will hold the position in the opera house’s 247-year history.
La Scala announced the appointment on its official website on May 12 (local time), stating that Chung will succeed current music director Riccardo Chailly and begin his term in 2027, serving until February 2030.
The 72-year-old maestro has previously held key conducting positions with major orchestras including the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Korean Broadcasting System Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.
Chung’s relationship with La Scala dates back decades. In 2016, he conducted Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra as part of the theater’s international opera tour at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. In March 2023, he was named the first honorary conductor of La Scala’s resident orchestra, the Filarmonica della Scala.
La Scala is expected to announce its full 2025–2026 season later this month, which will include 13 operas and 7 ballets, though details regarding new productions and repertory works have yet to be disclosed. A new tour of Asia featuring Chung and the Filarmonica della Scala is also reportedly in the works.
Founded in 1778, La Scala is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world. With its rich history of premiering works by composers like Verdi and Puccini, and its legacy of performances by opera legends such as Maria Callas and Luciano Pavarotti, the theater is considered a global symbol of excellence in opera and classical music.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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