The Korean National Symphony Orchestra has appointed Roberto Abbado as its next Artistic Director.

Abbado will begin his three-year term in Jan. 2026. He will succeed David Reiland, who has held the post since 2020. In 2023, Abbado led the Korean National Symphony Orchestra in Bellini’s “Norma.” Earlier this year he conducted the Orchestra in Verdi’s “Requiem.”

Currently Abbado is the principal conductor of the Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna. He has served as music director of the Munich Radio Orchestra, Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia, Spain, and the Festival Verdi in Parma, Italy. He has made guest appearances directing the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, among others. He has premiered works by Charles Wuorinen, Pascal Dusapin, Luca Francesconi and Silvia Colasanti as well as 20th-century composers such as Luciano Berio and Olivier Messiaen.

Abbado has recorded four albums under RCA Records, including operas such as “Tancredi,” “Don Pasquale,” “Il Trovatore” and “Un Ballo in Maschera.” In 2009, Abbado was given the Conductor of the Year – “Franco Abbiati” Award by Associazione Nazionale dei Critici musicali, and 2012, he won the “Franco Abbiati” Award – Best performance and production for Rossini Opera Festival Mosè in Egitto.

A representative from the Korean National Symphony Orchestra said in a press release, “With Maestro Abbado’s visionary leadership and global experience, we will elevate the value we’ve built over the past 40 years and continue to deliver performances befitting Korea’s national orchestra.”

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