The conductor’s five-year contract will commence on July 1, 2026, and continue through the 2030/31 season. This transition will take place at the conclusion of LA Opera’s 2025/26 season—Conlon’s 20th season in Los Angeles— where he will assume the newly created role of Conductor Laureate. To read the full press release, click HERE.

“I am extremely happy and enthusiastic that Domingo Hindoyan has been named as the next Music Director of LA Opera,” said James Conlon. “After devoting 20 years to this wonderful company—helping to solidify its place in the cultural life of Los Angeles and on the international operatic stage—I am especially pleased to pass the reins to someone I know shares my passion for opera, and who sees it as the vital, relevant, spiritual force it has always been.

“Domingo is an artist of exceptional depth and imagination, and I know the company will welcome him warmly. I’m confident this new partnership will be both successful and fruitful. We will be working together closely at the beginning, and I am confident that we will assure a smooth transition. Most of all, I’m happy that I will remain close to Domingo and to the many colleagues whose collaboration I have valued so deeply over the years, as I continue into the future in my new role as Conductor Laureate.”