Kent Nagano has been named the Music Director of the Orquesta Nacional de España (ONE) and the Artistic Director of the Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España. He will begin his new position in September 2026 for an initial five seasons.

The Instituto Nacional de las Artes Escénicas y la Música (INAEM) del Ministerio de Cultura announced the news.

Nagano will succeed David Afkham and in his new position, he is expected to bring his signature repertoire and explore Spanish music to construct a narrative for the symphony orchestra.

Nagano has been Music Director of the Staatsoper Hamburg since 2015. He is Artistic Director of the ‘The Wagner Cycles’ in Dresden and honorary director of the Deutsches-Symphonie Orchester in Berlín, Concerto Köln, and Montreal Symphony. He has also been Bayerische Staatsoper’s Director.

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