Lorenzo Viotti | |
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Born | Lausanne, Switzerland | 15 March 1990
Occupations |
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Organizations | |
Parent | Marcello Viotti |
Awards | Cadaqués Orchestra International Conducting Competition |
Lorenzo Viotti (born 15 March 1990) is a Swiss conductor. He is currently chief conductor of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and Dutch National Opera.
Born in Lausanne the son of conductor Marcello Viotti,[1] Viotti studied piano, voice and percussion in Lyon. In Vienna, he attended the conducting class of Georg Mark, and played as a percussionist with several orchestras, including the Vienna Philharmonic. He continued conducting studies at the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt in Weimar with Nicolás Pasquet, completing his studies in 2015.[2] Growing up, he enjoyed playing funk and jazz music as a drummer, and played in his sister Marina Viotti's death metal band in order to have the "biggest possible musical vocabulary possible."[3]
In 2012, Viotti was recipient of the first prize at the Cadaqués Orchestra International Conducting Competition. In 2015, he won the Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Awards.[1] He won the conducting competition of the MDR Sinfonieorchester in 2016.[2] He was chosen "Newcomer of the Year" at the International Opera Award 2017.
In January 2017, Viotti first guest-conducted the Gulbenkian Orchestra, and returned in the same season for a second guest-conducting appearance. In October 2017, the Gulbenkian Orchestra announced the appointment of Viotti as its next music director, effective with the 2018–2019 season, with an initial contract of three seasons.[4] Viotti stood down as music director of the Gulbenkian Orchestra in 2021 and subsequently took the title of principal guest conductor with the orchestra.
In February 2018, Viotti first guest-conducted the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra (NedPhO). In April 2019, the NedPhO announced the appointment of Viotti as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2021–2022 season.[5] With this appointment, Viotti also simultaneously became chief conductor of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and of Dutch National Opera.[6] In April 2023, Dutch National Opera and the NedPhO, announced the scheduled conclusion of Viotti's tenure at all three posts at the close of the 2024-2025 season.[7][8]