June 02, 2016 - 9:00 AM
MONTREAL - Canadian conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin will succeed James Levine as music director of the Metropolitan Opera for the 2020-21 season. Here are some facts about him:
Born: March 6, 1975 in Montreal (age 41)
Musical Education: Studied piano, conducting, composition and chamber music at the Conservatoire de musique du Quebec in Montreal and choral conducting at the Westminster Choir College in Princeton, N.J.
Career: Music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra since the 2012-13 season and of Montreal's Orchestre Metropolitain since 2000. Chief conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic since 2008-09.
Awards: Royal Philharmonic Society Award (RPS, London); Canada's National Arts Centre Award (Ottawa); Prix Denise-Pelletier (Quebec); Medal of Honour of Quebec's national assembly; Companion of the Order of Canada (2012); Companion of the Quebec Order for the Arts and Literature (2015); Officer of the National Order of Quebec (2015).
Quote: "Becoming the music director of the Metropolitan Opera is the fulfilment of a lifelong dream for me. I am truly honoured and humbled by the opportunity to succeed the legendary James Levine and to work with the extraordinary orchestra, chorus, and staff of what I believe is the greatest opera company in the world."
Source: yannicknezetseguin.com
With files from The Associated Press
News from © The Canadian Press, 2016