The Opernhaus Zürich has announced the appointment of Lorenzo Viotti as its next General Music Director (Generalmusikdirektor), beginning in August 2028. His initial contract will cover the 2028–29 and 2029–30 seasons and aligns with the current term of the company’s intendant, Matthias Schulz.
Viotti succeeds Gianandrea Noseda, who has held the post since 2021 and will continue to lead the house through the remainder of his tenure. During that period, Noseda has overseen a range of major projects, including complete Ring cycles, and has played a central role in the artistic development of the orchestra.
The Swiss conductor is already well known to Zürich audiences. He previously served as musical director for productions of Werther (2018), Die Csárdásfürstin (2020), and Die tote Stadt (2025), and is currently back at the podium with a new production of Die Fledermaus.
In a statement announcing the appointment, Schulz described Viotti as a conductor who combines familiarity with the institution and an international profile, while also thanking Noseda for his work at the house. He confirmed that several new productions, concerts, and tours are planned during the remaining years of Noseda’s tenure. Noseda, for his part, said he looked forward to completing the projects already underway and wished his successor well.
Viotti said that Zürich has become an important artistic home for him over the years and described the opportunity to build on Noseda’s work as both a privilege and a responsibility.
Background
Born in Lausanne in 1990, Lorenzo Viotti studied piano, voice, and percussion in Lyon before completing his conducting studies in Vienna and Weimar. He first gained international attention after winning several major competitions, including the Cadaqués International Conducting Competition and the Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award, and was named Newcomer of the Year at the 2017 International Opera Awards.
Alongside his operatic work, Viotti has held a number of prominent orchestral posts. He has served as chief conductor of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and music director of Dutch National Opera, and previously led the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon. He is also set to become music director of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra from the 2026–27 season.
His appointment in Zürich places him at the head of one of Europe’s leading opera houses at a moment of planned transition, with continuity assured through the remainder of Noseda’s term and a new chapter scheduled to begin in 2028.
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