Rumors started a couple of years about the possibility of Kent Nagano
succeeding Charles Dutoit as music director of l'Orchestre Symphonique
de Montreal.  A year ago, the Toronto Globe & Mail predicted the
appointment, saying that Nagano is "one of the most accomplished and
adventurous conductors of his generation, and a champion of new repertoire,"
super-busy as "currently chief conductor of the Los Angeles Opera and
music director of the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester in Berlin," not even
mentioning the Berkeley Symphony, Nagano's longest association and "home
company."

When Classical Voice asked Nagano about the possibility back then, his
answer was: "With my profound admiration and respect for this great and
renowned symphony orchestra, which I had the honor of conducting once
four years ago, no agreement has been made for me to become their new
music director." That was true then, but there was an agreement leading
up to today's news: "I think it's a great privilege to work with this
magnificent orchestra," Nagano said, calling Montreal and Quebec "wonderful,
exceptional" places.  He spoke in French, a language he used for almost
a decade when heading the Lyon Opera.

He would take the position effective 2006, which happens to be the year
when Nagano is scheduled to succeed Zubin Mehta as music director of the
Bavarian State Opera in Munich, and lead a new production of Wagner's
"Ring" cycle at the Los Angeles Opera (the project once planned as a
"Star Wars Ring," but the budget undergoing deep cuts since).

The plan for Nagano in Montreal is to serve as music adviser to principal
guest conductor Jacques Lacombe for the next two years.  His contract
that begins in 2006 will run six years.

Janos Gereben/SF
www.sfcv.org
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