Yannick Nézet-Séguin

Nézet-Séguin at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia, 18 June 2010

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, CC (French pronunciation: ​[ja.nik ne.zɛ se.ɡɛ̃]; born Yannick Séguin;[1] 6 March 1975) is a Canadian conductor and pianist. He currently holds leadership posts with the Orchestre Métropolitain (Montréal), the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. In June 2016 he was named music director of the Metropolitan Opera in New York beginning in 2020 (assuming the title "music director designate" as of the 2017-2018 season).[2]

Biography

Early years

Nézet-Séguin was born in Montreal to two specialists in education, Serge P. Séguin, Ph.D., a university professor, and Claudine Nézet, M.A., a university lecturer and coordinator.[1] He began to study piano at age five, with Jeanne-d'Arc Lebrun-Lussier, and decided to become an orchestra conductor at age ten.[3]

Nézet-Séguin studied successively at St-Isaac-Jogues Primary School, at Mont-St-Louis Secondary School and at Bois-de-Boulogne College. In the meantime, he was admitted to Anisia Campos's piano class, at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec where he earned five first prizes in piano and in four related musical subjects. He also studied choral conducting with Joseph Flummerfelt at the Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, and did many master classes with renowned conductors.

Early career

At nineteen, he met and was invited to follow Carlo Maria Giulini in rehearsals and concerts for more than a year. He became the musical director of the Chœur polyphonique de Montréal in 1994 and obtained the same post at Choeur de Laval in 1995. In 1995, he founded his own professional orchestral and vocal ensemble, La Chapelle de Montréal, with whom he performed 2 to 4 concerts a year until 2002. He considers Charles Dutoit as his first inspiration as a child and Carlo Maria Giulini as his master.[4] From 1998 to 2002, Nézet-Séguin was chorus master, assistant conductor and music adviser of the Opéra de Montréal.

Orchestre Métropolitain

Nézet-Séguin became music director of the Orchestre Métropolitain (Montréal) in 2000, and principal guest conductor of the Victoria Symphony (British Columbia, Canada) in 2003. His most recent contract with the Orchestre Métropolitain, through 2010,[5] has since been extended through 2015.[6] In September 2015, the orchestra announced a further extension of his contract through the 2020-2021 season.[7] He has conducted commercial recordings of symphonies of Anton Bruckner and Gustav Mahler with the Orchestre Métropolitain.[8]

Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra

In 2005, Nézet-Séguin guest-conducted the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra (RPhO) for the first time, and returned in 2006. In December 2006, the RPhO announced the appointment of Nézet-Séguin as their 11th Principal Conductor, by a unanimous vote, starting with the 2008–09 concert season,[9] with an initial contract of 4 years. In April 2010, the RPhO announced the extension of his contract through 2015.[10] With the RPhO, Nézet-Séguin has recorded commercially for Virgin Classics[11] and for EMI.[12] In June 2013, the RPhO further extended his contract through the summer of 2018.[13] In May 2015, the RPhO announced the scheduled conclusion of Nézet-Séguin's tenure as RPhO principal conductor at the end of the 2017-2018 season, at which time he is scheduled to take the title of Eredirigent (honorary conductor) of the orchestra.[14]

Philadelphia Orchestra

In December 2008, Nézet-Séguin made his first appearance with the Philadelphia Orchestra, at the invitation of Charles Dutoit.[15] He returned for a second guest-conducting engagement in December 2009.[16] In June 2010, he was named the eighth Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, starting with the 2012–13 season. He served as Music Director Designate from 2010 to 2012. His initial contract as music director is for 5 seasons, with 7 weeks of scheduled concerts in the 2012–13 season, 15 weeks in the next 2 seasons, and 16 weeks in the subsequent 2 seasons of his Philadelphia contract.[17] Following a January 2015 announcement of a five-year extension of Nézet-Séguin's contract to the 2021-22 season,[18][19] on June 2, 2016 it was announced that his contract with the Philadelphia Orchestra had been extended yet again through the 2025–26 season.[20] This would make him the third-longest serving music director in the orchestra's history.

The Metropolitan Opera

Since 2009, Nézet-Séguin has made annual appearances with the Metropolitan Opera in New York. He made his début on 31 December 2009, conducting a new production of Carmen,[21] followed by Don Carlo in 2010 and in 2015, Faust in 2011,[22] La traviata in 2013,[23] and Rusalka in 2014.[24] He opened the Met's 2015/16 Season in September 2015 conducting a new production of Verdi's Otello.[25] On June 2, 2016, the Metropolitan Opera announced that Nézet-Séguin would assume the post of Music Director from the 2020-21 season, with an initial contract of four years.[2][26]

Other major engagements

Nézet-Séguin made his UK conducting debut with the Northern Sinfonia in the 2005–06 season. He debuted with the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) in March 2007, and with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in April 2007.[27] In November 2007, the LPO appointed Nézet-Séguin as their principal guest conductor, starting with the 2008–09 season.[28] Following a May 2010 extension of his contract as LPO principal guest conductor,[29] he stood down from the post in 2014.[30][31] He made his Royal Opera House debut with Rusalka, the first stagings of the opera at Covent Garden, in 2012.

Personal life

Nézet-Séguin resides in Montreal and Philadelphia with his partner Pierre Tourville, a violist in the Orchestre Métropolitain.[32]

Honours

Discography

Orchestral works

Vocal recitals

Operas

Operas on video

References

  1. 1 2 David Patrick Stearns, "Nezet-Seguin signs Philadelphia Orchestra contract". Philadelphia Inquirer, 19 June 2010.
  2. 1 2 Smith, Jennifer. "Met Opera Names Yannick Nézet-Séguin as New Music Director". The Wall Street Journal. Down Jones & Company, Inc. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  3. ↑ Joyce Morgan (27 June 2007). "Young conductor will reply in kind". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
  4. ↑ Peter Dobrin, "Philadelphia Orchestra director taking baton of a mentor". Philadelphia Inquirer, 20 June 2010.
  5. ↑ David Patrick Stearns, "Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads two orchestras in Mahler's Symphony No. 8 in Ottawa". Philadelphia Inquirer, 18 June 2010.
  6. ↑ "Yannick Nézet-Séguin shines again: The young conductor is named Musical Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra" (Press release). Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal. 15 June 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-27.
  7. ↑ "Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Orchestre Métropolitain renew through 2020-2021" (Press release). Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal. 16 September 2015. Retrieved 2015-09-21.
  8. ↑ David Patrick Stearns, "Nézet-Séguin's 17 recordings offer variety". Philadelphia Inquirer, 20 June 2010.
  9. ↑ Vivien Schweitzer (2006-12-13). "Yannick Nézet-Séguin to Succeed Valery Gergiev at Rotterdam Philharmonic". Playbill Arts. Retrieved 2007-08-29.
  10. ↑ Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, "Yannick verlengt contract" (webpage press release), 23 April 2010.
  11. ↑ Andrew Clements (2009-10-15). "Beethoven: Violin Concerto; Korngold: Violin Concerto; Capuçon/Rotterdam PO/Nézet-Séguin (Virgin Classics)". The Guardian. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  12. ↑ Nicholas Kenyon (2010-01-31). "Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé Suite No 2". The Guardian. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  13. ↑ "Yannick Nézet-Séguin verlengt contract bij Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest" (Press release). Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. 5 June 2013. Retrieved 2015-04-04.
  14. ↑ "Yannick Nézet-Séguin in 2018 verder als ere-dirigent" (Press release). Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. 5 May 2015. Retrieved 2015-05-05.
  15. ↑ Arthur Kaptainis (10 November 2007). "Dutch treat". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
  16. ↑ Robert Zaller (8 December 2009). "Conductor shortage? Where?". Broad Street Review. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
  17. ↑ Peter Dobrin, "Canada's 'rising star' to be Phila. maestro". Philadelphia Inquirer, 14 June 2010.
  18. ↑ "Yannick Nézet-Séguin Extends Tenure as Music Director of The Philadelphia Orchestra through 2021-2022 Season" (Press release). Philadelphia Orchestra. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  19. ↑ Peter Dobrin (2015-01-30). "Philadelphia Orchestra prepares for a big ask". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  20. ↑ Philadlphia Orchestra (2016-06-02). "Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin Makes Renewed Commitment to The Philadelphia Orchestra, Extending Tenure through 2025-2026 Season". Retrieved 2016-06-02.
  21. ↑ Anthony Tommasini (1 January 2010). "That Daring Gypsy Strikes Again, and Anew". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-12-20.
  22. ↑ Anthony Tommasini (23 November 2010). "A Winning, Cautious 'Don Carlo' at the Met". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-12-20.
  23. ↑ Zachary Woolfe (17 March 2013). "Start With Adolescent Spirit, Then Grow Into a Role". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
  24. ↑ Zachary Woolfe (24 January 2014). "When It Comes to Nymphs and Princes, Water and Earth Don't Mix". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
  25. ↑ "Review: Metropolitan Opera's New 'Otello,' Bold and Tentative". The New York Times. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  26. ↑ "Met Music Director Announcement". 2 June 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  27. ↑ Rowena Smith (2007-04-23). "SCO/Nézet-Séguin". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
  28. ↑ Kevin Shihoten (2007-11-20). "Nézet-Séguin Named London Phil Principal Guest Conductor". Playbill Arts. Retrieved 2007-11-21.
  29. ↑ "London Philharmonic Orchestra extends contracts with Vladimir Jurowski and Yannick Nézet-Séguin" (Press release). London Philharmonic Orchestra. 19 May 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  30. ↑ "London Philharmonic Orchestra appoints Andrés Orozco-Estrada as new Principal Guest Conductor" (Press release). London Philharmonic Orchestra. 15 January 2014. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  31. ↑ Imogen Tilden (2014-01-15). "Orozco-Estrada named as LPO's new principal guest conductor". The Guardian. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  32. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/03/arts/music/the-maestro-with-the-turtle-tattoo-the-mets-new-conductor.html
  33. ↑ Tom Service (2009-10-15). "Yannick Nézet-Séguin: 'I had a dream, and that dream came true'". The Guardian. Retrieved 2010-05-25.

External links

Preceded by
Joseph Rescigno		 Principal Conductor and Artistic Director, Orchestre Métropolitain
2000–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent
Preceded by
Valery Gergiev		 Principal Conductor, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra
2008–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent
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