For star conductors, of course, it’s not unusual to have appointments both with an orchestra and an opera company. And Dudamel’s contract with the LA Phil runs through the 2025-26 season. Classical France is interested: “Radio France, clearly anticipating the appointment, ran five 90-minute programs on Dudamel in the last week of January, ostensibly in celebration of the conductor’s 40th birthday. Dudamel’s appointment by Paris Opera’s new general director, Alexander Neef, clearly marks a new vision for a company that traces its beginnings to the birth of the Paris Opera Academy in 1669.” But wow, does Los Angeles have a weird history with the Paris Opera. – Los Angeles Times
