ITALY: Orchestra I Solisti di Milano - Matthias Manasi has ended his term as music director

Master Matthias Manasi

MILAN, LOMBARDY, ITALY, December 20, 2024 / EINPresswire.com / -- Matthias Manasi has ended his term as Music Director of the “I Solisti di Milano” Orchestra at the end of the 2023/2024 season. The orchestra confirmed him at his request in early December. Since

October 2020, the German conductor has led the orchestra, which is largely composed of musicians from the La Scala opera orchestra. He chose not to extend his contract, which expired in October 2024, in order to have more time for international guest conducting assignments at opera houses and with orchestras.

Matthias Manasi conducted the “I Solisti di Milano” Orchestra for the first time in October 2020, in connection with a CD production for the Capriccio label. When he arrived in Milan, large areas of the city were cordoned off and under lockdown with the strict regulations of the second wave of Covid-19. The CD program featured four violin concertos by Josef Myslivecek with violinist Gennaro Cardaropoli. At the time, Milan was almost paralyzed due to these extensive Corona restrictions, and the CD recording was in doubt because there was always the risk that the recording could be interrupted at any time due to the Corona restrictions.

The impression Matthias Manasi made was enough for Artistic Director Alessandro Travaglini and the musicians of the orchestra to appoint him as future Music Director. Not many concerts were possible during the four seasons, many concerts between 2020 and 2023 had to be cancelled due to the Corona restrictions. Artistic Director Alessandro Travaglini praised Matthias Manasi as an “internationally successful and brilliant conductor, an absolute perfectionist and a passionate ambassador for classical music” and that the orchestra will work with Matthias Manasi as a guest conductor in the future. 

Matthias Manasi is considered one of the greatest conductors of his generation, who has held numerous important positions. Until 2022, he was also Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Nickel City Opera in Buffalo, USA.

According to the press office in Milan, it is not yet clear who will take over from Manasi; the search has begun.