LONDON — Up-and-coming Czech conductor Jakub Fursa was appointed music director of London’s Royal Opera House on Tuesday.
Frusa, 41, who has been principal conductor of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra in Germany since 2016, will succeed Antonio Pappano in September 2025. announced last year After 20 years at the Opera House, he left to become Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.
There has long been speculation in the London opera world about who would replace Pappano. Times of London critic Neil Fisher Collected a dozen candidates Last year, we were joined by Edward Gardner, former music director of the English National Opera, and Mirga Graginite Tila, who until recently led the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Fursa was not on the list.However, the Czech who is also the principal guest conductor of the Czech National Academy Orchestra Rome’s di Santa Cecilia, with Pappano as principal conductor, has long been admired.
When Fursa debuted with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in 2017, critic Anthony Tommasini wrote in The New York Times: He added, “His approach worked, judging by the sumptuous, enveloping sound and impressive performances he drew from the Philharmonic players in their auspicious debuts.”
For a highlight of this year’s Salzburg Festival, Fursa led a breathtaking rendition of Janacek’s Kata Kabanova, directed by Barry Kosky.
Critics have also praised Fulsa’s two performances at the Royal Opera House. Kosky also directed Bizet’s “Carmen” in 2018, and Wagner’s “Lohengrin” was performed this spring.In the Times of London, Fisher I wrote that it was commanded by Fursa “Lohengrin” “colourfully distills the score’s most macabre sounds, emphasizing its bleak beauty.”
Not many people know that Fursa isn’t the first opera house music director to be chosen. When Pappano took the position in 2002, he was from La Monnaie in Brussels and had little reputation in London at the time.
In a news release, Fursa, who grew up in the Czech city of Brno, where Janáček lived, said he was thrilled to accept the position. I have always dreamed of , and I quickly realized that I adore the entire team of artists and staff at Covent Garden,” he said.
Oliver Mears, director of the Royal Opera, said in the release that everyone in the house was “very impressed not only by his superb music and theater productions, but also by the generosity and warmth of his personality.” he said.
On Tuesday, the Royal Opera House detailed Fulsa’s early involvement in the new role. In the 2027-28 season, he will conduct Wagner’s four-part “Der Ring des Nibelungen” directed by Kosky.
In an interview with The New York Times last year, Pappano said of the overarching role of music director: “The job is more than just directing.”
A looming challenge for the Royal Opera could be budget cuts. The British government Reduced funding amount By donating a total of 15% to London’s cultural institutions, we are able to give more money to arts organizations in poorer areas. Last year, the government gave her £35.8 million (about $40 million) to the Royal Opera House. This represents his 43% of House’s total income, including the Royal Ballet. A future funding announcement is expected this month.