The Teatro alla Scala in Milan has announced that Myung-Whun Chung will be the next Music Director of the iconic opera house. Chung has a long history with La Scala, having conducted nine operas across 84 performances and 141 concerts since the 1980s. He also led the La Scala Philharmonic on numerous tours in Italy and internationally, making the most appearances at the opera house after its music directors.
Chung will make history as the first Asian, and one of the first non-Italian conductors, to take on this prestigious role in the opera house’s 247-year history. In 2023, he was named honorary conductor of the Filarmonica della Scala, one of La Scala’s key ensembles. He will succeed Riccardo Chailly at the end of 2026, with an initial term of three years.
Currently, Chung serves as the Artistic Director of the new Busan Opera and Concert Hall in South Korea, which is set to open with a grand festival in June 2025.
His notable titles include Principal Guest Conductor of the Dresden Staatskapelle, Honorary Music Director of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, and former Music Director of the Korean Broadcasting System.
Chung’s accolades include the Commandeur de Légion d’Honneur from France, the Commentatore dell’Ordine della Stella d’Italia, and the Premio Abbiati for outstanding conducting at La Fenice in Venice. He was also awarded Keumkwan, the highest cultural honor from the South Korean government. In 2008, Chung was appointed as the first conductor to serve as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF.
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