English conductor Jonathan Nott named Liceu opera hall's new musical director

Jonathan Nott, an English conductor, has been named the new musical director of Barcelona's Liceu opera hall.

Nott, considered one of the unquestionable names worldwide, will start his new five-year tenure from the 2026/27 season, replacing Catalan conductor and Orchestra director Josep Pons, who has been head of the Theater's Orchestra for 14 years.

Pons will then be named honorary musical director.

The English conductor's trajectory is marked by "profound leadership and a contemporary sensibility," according to a statement released by the Liceu opera hall on Wednesday. Nott has conducted works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert, Gustav Mahler, Anton Bruckner, and Dmitri Shostakóvich, among many.

"Being named as music director is a huge privilege and an honor," Nott said in a shared statement by the Liceu opera hall. "Since my childhood, I have been profoundly linked to the singing and opera world, and every time I have had the chance to conduct from Barcelona, I have felt a special connection with its public."

At the time, Nott leads the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra as principal director and is the musical and artistic director of the Swiss Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. In the past, he was one of the promoters of the Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition and director of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra.

The Liceu "thanked" the "fruitful contribution" of Pons since its debut back in 1993, and highlighted the different challenges the Catalan has faced during 14 years as head of the musical team. A period "marked by excellence and artistic compromise," the text reads.

Pons praised Nott's previous work as "it is a great decision and excellent news for the theater but also for the Catalan musical industry," he said in a statement.