Diego Matheuz named principal conductor of Palermo’s Teatro Massimo

The Venezuelan musician, who previously held the same position at Venice’s Teatro La Fenice, succeeds Omer Meir Wellber.

Diego Matheuz has been appointed principal conductor of Palermo’s Teatro Massimo, filling the position left vacant by Omer Meir Wellber. The Venezuelan musician previously held the same role at Teatro La Fenice in Venice.

A graduate of Venezuela’s El Sistema, Matheuz has built an international career spanning opera and symphonic music. His previous leadership positions include principal conductor of Teatro La Fenice in Venice and principal guest conductor of the Orchestra Mozart in Bologna, where he worked at Claudio Abbado’s invitation, and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Since 2022, he has served as principal conductor of the Seiji Ozawa Music Academy Orchestra in Tokyo. His operatic engagements have included appearances at the Metropolitan Opera, the Vienna State Opera and the Paris Opera.

Matheuz is scheduled to conduct Teatro Massimo’s New Year’s Concert on January 1, 2027, with Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony on the announced programme. He will also lead Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte at the theatre in September 2027.