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2w ago

Myung-Whun Chung Appointed as La Scala’s First Asian Music Director

The South Korean conductor, with a decades-long relationship with the Milan opera house, will assume the role in 2027 following unanimous board approval.

FILE - South Korean conductor and pianist Myung-whun Chung poses for a photographer after being awarded with the Commander of Arts and Letters medal in Paris, on June 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)
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This undated file photo, provided by the Daegu Concert House, shows South Korean conductor and pianist Chung Myung-whun. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
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Overview

  • Teatro alla Scala announced on May 12, 2025, that Myung-Whun Chung will become its next music director, marking the first time an Asian musician has held the position in the opera house’s 247-year history.
  • Chung will succeed Riccardo Chailly at the end of 2026 and serve through February 2030, aligning with superintendent Fortunato Ortombina’s term.
  • The appointment was unanimously approved by La Scala’s board of directors, reflecting confidence in Chung’s leadership and artistic vision.
  • Chung has a longstanding connection with La Scala, having conducted nine operas and 141 concerts since his debut there in 1989, more than any non-music director in its history.
  • A globally celebrated conductor and pianist, Chung has previously led prestigious orchestras, including the Tokyo Philharmonic and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.