Dudamel in surprise move resigns from Paris Opéra 2 years into 6-year contract

By RONALD BLUM
Associated Press

Gustavo Dudamel surprisingly announced his resignation as music director of the Paris Opéra, two seasons into a six-year contract scheduled to run through the 2026-27 season. A 42-year-old Venezuelan who lives in Madrid, Dudamel was hired in February by the New York Philharmonic as its music director starting with the 2026-27 season. He has been music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 2009, a tenure that will end when Dudamel starts in New York. His early exit from Paris at the end of the current season in August could free the conductor for additional engagements in New York, where Jaap van Zweden leaves after the 2023-24 season. Dudamel says he plans to “spend more time” with family.