Michele Mariotti has been named Principal conductor of the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai starting in October 2026.

His tenure will be for three years and he will succeed Andrès Orozco-Estrada, who led the orchestra from 2023 to 2026.

In a statement RAI CEO Giampaolo Rossi said, “It is a pleasure and an honor to introduce Michele Mariotti as the new Principal Conductor of our Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale. His growth as a performer has brought him to the podiums of the most prestigious musical institutions around the world, and he has regularly conducted our ensemble for many years, both seasonally and in other contexts. This new appointment is therefore the evolution of an already very fruitful relationship, which is now projected towards new artistic goals. It is a particular joy, in the now more than thirty-year history of the RAI National Symphony Orchestra, to welcome the first Italian musician to the fundamental role of Principal Conductor.”

Mariotti debuted with the orchestra in January of 2011 and performed with the orchestra in 2012, 2014, 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2024.

Mariotti is currently the Music Director of the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma and has also been Music Director of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna. He has conducted at the Teatro alla Scala, Paris Opera, Wiener Staatsoper, Metropolitan Opera, and Royal Opera House, among others.

Read Related Stories 

Teatro dell’Opera di Roma Announces Renewal of Artistic Direction