NEW YORK — Daniele Rustioni has been appointed as the Metropolitan Opera’s third principal guest conductor in its 145-year history. He is set to assist music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin by leading a minimum of two productions each season starting in the 2025-26 season.
The announcement was made on Wednesday, revealing that Rustioni has signed a three-year agreement. His repertoire will include revivals of “Don Giovanni” and “Andrea Chénier” for the upcoming season, as well as Puccini’s “La Bohème” and “Tosca” in 2026-27. Additionally, he is scheduled to oversee a new production of Verdi’s “Simon Boccanegra” potentially in 2027-28.
Reflecting on his collaboration with the Met, Rustioni expressed, “This all started because of the chemistry between the orchestra and me and the chorus and me.” He further commended the Met’s orchestra, stating, “It may be the best opera orchestra on the planet in terms of energy and joy of playing and commitment.”
Nézet-Séguin, who has been conducting four to five productions each season, will share the schedule with Rustioni, who will contribute to roughly 40% of the Met’s program. Currently, the Met presents 18 productions a season, a reduction from 28 in the 2007-08 season.
The landscape of the music director position has evolved; James Levine conducted approximately 10 productions each season during the mid-1980s. Since taking the helm in 2018-19, Nézet-Séguin also leads the Philadelphia Orchestra and Montreal’s Orchestre Métropolitain.
“The demands on music directors have changed, and they often juggle multiple roles today,” said Met general manager Peter Gelb. “In Yannick’s case, he manages three different positions while also being sought after as a guest conductor. Having someone of Daniele’s caliber consistently available ensures artistic stability for the Met.”
At just 41, Rustioni made his Metropolitan Opera debut in 2017 with a revival of Verdi’s “Aida” and has subsequently conducted several notable performances, including productions for New Year’s Eve galas. He stepped in at short notice for a revival of “Le Nozze di Figaro” in 2021 and directed Verdi’s “Falstaff” in 2023.
Rustioni described his approach with the orchestra, saying, “I dared to try tempos in this repertoire that they know very well. I offered and tried to convince them to find more intimacy within the music, allowing for a little bit more breathing.”
The role of principal guest conductor saw Valery Gergiev serve from 1997-98 through 2008-09, with Fabio Luisi stepping into the role in 2010 and later becoming principal conductor in 2011. The position remained vacant after Luisi departed at the end of the 2016-17 season.
Currently residing in London with his wife, violinist Francesca Dego, and their 7-month-old daughter Sophia Charlotte, Rustioni has also held the title of music director at the Lyon Opera since the 2017-18 season. He previously led the Ulster Orchestra until the current season and served as the first principal guest conductor at Munich’s Bavarian State Opera from 2021-23.
Most recently, Rustioni made his debut with the London Symphony Orchestra in a program featuring his wife, and he has upcoming engagements to debut with the New York Philharmonic on January 8, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra on January 16, and the San Diego Symphony on January 24.