Semyon Bychkov will succeed Gustavo Dudamel as music director of the Paris Opera starting in August 2028. The 73-year-old Bychkov agreed to a four-year contract and will conduct two operas and six symphonic concerts per season. He told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he feels healthy after surgeries in 2024. Bychkov first conducted the Paris Opera in 2007. He will lead Ralph Fiennes' opera directing debut later this month. Bychkov's tenure will coincide with major renovations at the Paris Opera. Dudamel had announced his Paris departure three months after announcing he was leaving the Los Angeles Philharmonic for the New York Philharmonic in 2026-27.
