French period-instrument orchestra Les Siècles has appointed Italian conductor Antonello Manacorda as its new Artistic and Music Director, opening a new chapter for one of Europe’s most influential historically informed ensembles.
The appointment follows an initial collaboration in autumn 2025, when Manacorda led the orchestra in concerts in Amsterdam, Bruges, Tourcoing and Paris. According to the ensemble, that first artistic partnership quickly evolved into a shared desire for a long-term collaboration.
Manacorda’s appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Les Siècles. The orchestra was founded in 2003 by François-Xavier Roth, who stepped down from his positions with the ensemble in 2025 following allegations of inappropriate behaviour. Roth denied any criminal wrongdoing, while the orchestra announced a new governance structure as it prepared for its next chapter.
Founded in 2003 by Roth, Les Siècles has earned international recognition for performing repertoire from different eras on the instruments for which it was originally conceived. The orchestra has played a leading role in extending historically informed performance practices beyond the Baroque and Classical repertoire into works by composers such as Berlioz, Debussy, Ravel and Stravinsky.
Born in Turin and based in Berlin, Manacorda has built a distinguished international career shaped by both modern and historically informed performance traditions. A founding member and former concertmaster of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, he worked closely with Claudio Abbado, who appointed him concertmaster of the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester in 1994. From 2010 to 2025, he served as Artistic Director and Music Director of the Kammerakademie Potsdam, helping establish the German ensemble as one of Europe’s leading chamber orchestras.
“The contribution of Les Siècles to the interpretation of French repertoire is essential today,” Manacorda said in a statement announcing the appointment. “I am also interested in how Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, Schumann or Stravinsky can sound in the 21st century on period instruments. An orchestra such as Les Siècles allows us to rediscover European musical traditions.”
The musicians of the orchestra welcomed the appointment, praising Manacorda’s combination of artistic rigor and attentiveness to individual players. In a collective statement, they highlighted the atmosphere of trust established during their first collaboration and expressed enthusiasm for exploring new artistic directions together.
Baptiste Charroing, General Director of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, described Manacorda as a conductor who combines artistic excellence with an exceptional ability to bring people and ideas together. He also drew parallels with the collaborative orchestral culture championed by Claudio Abbado.
Manacorda’s first season as Artistic and Music Director will begin in 2027/28 with a new production of Jules Massenet’s Thaïs at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. The production will feature passages that, according to the orchestra, have not been performed since the opera’s premiere. The full season programme will be announced in spring 2027.
Before officially taking up the position, Manacorda will reunite with Les Siècles during the 2026/27 season for performances of Debussy’s La Mer in Munich and Hamburg.
A frequent guest with major orchestras and opera houses, Manacorda has conducted ensembles including the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, the Staatskapelle Dresden, the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and the Cleveland Orchestra. He has also appeared regularly at the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Opera House, the Bayerische Staatsoper and the Vienna State Opera.
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