Fabio Luisi named Dallas Symphony music director
Fabio Luisi will become music director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in the 2020-2021 season. Photo: Barbara Luisi
You can’t say the Dallas Symphony Orchestra likes to waste time.
Just nine days after the final concert of out-going music director Jaap van Zweden, the orchestra announced Fabio Luisi as his successor Monday morning, effective with the 2019-2020 season.
“I am delighted and proud to be appointed music director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra,” said Luisi in a statement released by the DSO. “From the moment I met the orchestra again this spring, I felt a strong connection artistically and personally. These are supremely talented musicians, who welcomed me so warmly. Our performances were filled with great joy, and I look forward to working with them to share our mutual passion for this great music with audiences.”
The 59-year-old Italian conductor’s initial five year-contract will begin with a transitional 2019-2020 season. during which Luisi will hold the title of music director designate. He will assume the full title in 2020-2021.
Reflecting his prominent opera house experience, Luisi will open each season with a concert performance of an opera. In the fall of 2019, he will led performances of Richard Strauss’s Salome, followed by Verdi’s Otello in 2020.
Luisi will lead seven weeks of concerts in his inaugural season in 2020-2021, and expand his Dallas presence in successive seasons.
The Genoa native has been appearing with the DSO since 2002. His most recent Dallas appearance, leading a program of Beethoven and Strauss, took place this past March.
Former principal conductor of the Metropolitan Opera, Luisi currently holds three European posts: principal conductor of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, general music director of the Zurich Opera and music director of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.
Luisi was chosen following a two-year search by a 13-member committee chaired by Morton H. Meyerson and comprised of musicians, board, staff and community leaders.
“Maestro Luisi is highly respected around the world, and we are proud to welcome him to Dallas,” said Alexander Kerr, DSO concertmaster. “He comes to us with such a rich history of opera and symphonic experience. His elegant and refined style connected beautifully in performance, and I know he will be a visionary musical leader of the DSO.”
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