Opéra de Tours has announced the appointment of Marc Leroy-Calatayud as their first Music Director, beginning from the 2026-27 season for a term of three years.

The newly-created position follows the establishment of a permanent resident orchestra at the opera house.

The appointment builds on Leroy-Calatayud’s tenure as Principal Guest Conductor with the orchestra this season. Recent highlights on the podium in Tours include performances of Offenbach’s “Orpheus in the Underworld,” and a double bill of Bizet’s “L’Arlésienne” and “Le Docteur Miracle.”

In a statement Leroy-Calatayud said, “It is with immense joy that I join the Opéra de Tours as Music Director. Since 2022, I have had the privilege of working with the orchestra, its outstanding musicians, and its staff, in a relationship of trust and shared belief in the ensemble’s great potential. In the current context, the creation of a permanent orchestra is an act of hope, affirming the importance of music and culture for everyone.” He continued, “The 2026-2027 season will be a transformative, foundational, and expanding phase of the artistic offerings. It will allow the orchestra to fully assume its role and the public to embrace a new rhythm. I am honored to be able to guide the orchestra through this new chapter in its history in Tours and the surrounding region.”

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