Spain, Portugal & Latin America
James Conlon is one of the most esteemed and influential conductors of our time—a rare figure whose work has defined and enriched the classical music traditions of the U.S. and Europe for over 50 years. Since his New York Philharmonic debut in 1974, he has led nearly every major American and European orchestra and has conducted at most of the world’s most prestigious opera houses. Uniquely versatile, he is among the few conductors equally accomplished in symphonic, operatic, and choral repertoire. Through his extensive touring, acclaimed recordings, published writings, and widely recognized public presence, he stands as one of classical music’s most visible and enduring artistic leaders.
Conlon has been Music Director of LA Opera since 2006, leading more performances than any conductor in the company’s history. He will hold this position through 2026, marking his 20th season, after which he will become Conductor Laureate. His previous roles include Principal Conductor of the Paris Opera, General Music Director of the City of Cologne, Music Director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Music Director of the Ravinia Festival, and Artistic Advisor of the Baltimore Symphony. He is Music Director Laureate of the Cincinnati May Festival. At the Metropolitan Opera, he has conducted more than 270 performances since his 1976 debut.
He is a noted advocate for composers suppressed by the Nazi regime and is an enthusiastic advocate of public scholarship and appears frequently as a speaker on a variety of cultural and educational topics. At LA Opera, his popular pre-performance talks — each attended by over 1,000 people — draw upon musicology, literary studies, history, and social sciences to contemplate the enduring power and relevance of opera and classical music.
His numerous honors include four Grammy® Awards for recordings with LA Opera, four honorary doctorates (Juilliard, Colburn, Brandeis, Chapman), the Opera News Award, France’s Légion d’Honneur, Italy’s Commendatore Ordine al Merito, and Austria’s Cross of Honor for Science and Art.
