Houston Grand Opera has appointed American conductor James Gaffigan as its next Music Director, the fifth in the company’s 70-year history. He will serve as Music Director Designate in the 2026–27 season and formally assume the post in 2027–28, under an initial five-season contract running through 2031–32.
This marks Gaffigan’s first titled position with an American institution. He will work alongside General Director and CEO Khori Dastoor, contributing to artistic planning, programming, and the development of the orchestra and young artists.
Born in New York City, Gaffigan earned his master’s degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University and made his American operatic debut with HGO in 2011 in The Marriage of Figaro. He returned in 2025 to conduct Porgy and Bess and the company’s annual Concert of Arias.
Currently serving as General Music Director of the Komische Oper Berlin, Gaffigan recently concluded his tenure as Music Director of the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia. Earlier in his career, he was assistant conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra, associate conductor of the San Francisco Symphony, and chief conductor of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra.
The appointment follows an international search launched in 2024 after Patrick Summers announced that he would step down at the end of the 2025–26 season. Summers, who has led the company since 1998, will become Music Director Emeritus.
Gaffigan joins a distinguished line of predecessors that includes Charles Rosekrans (1971–75), John DeMain (1979–94), Vjekoslav Sutej (1994–97), and Patrick Summers (1998–2026).
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