Andrea Battistoni appointed new Music Director of Teatro Regio Torino

An international talent, a new energy for the Regio

The Teatro Regio di Torino is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrea Battistoni as Music Director, a key moment for the Theatre and its future. Battistoni, a leading figure in the international music scene, will officially take office on 1st January 2025, with a mandate that will span the next two Seasons.

Stefano Lo Russo, President of the Fondazione Teatro Regio and Mayor of the City of Torino, comments: «We are pleased to announce the appointment of Andrea Battistoni, whom we warmly welcome as the new Music Director of the Teatro Regio. We are confident that his presence and leadership will further enhance the Regio’s ability to innovate and experiment, offering a high-quality artistic program while solidifying its journey to becoming a key cultural reference point on both the national and international stage. We are certain that the new Director, who already shares a well-established collaborative bond with our Theater, will continue on the path toward a diverse and inclusive cultural offering, open to everyone».

Superintendent Mathieu Jouvin states: « The appointment of Andrea Battistoni as Music Director of the Teatro Regio marks a fundamental step in the revitalization process undertaken over two years ago, with the aim of bringing our Theater to the artistic level it deserves: the very highest. We are proud to welcome such a young yet extraordinarily accomplished artist, whose talent and musical vision will enrich our artistic offering and strengthen the role of the Regio as a point of reference in the international opera scene. Andrea’s constant commitment to bring classical music to an ever wider audience, making it accessible and engaging, reflects a fundamental objective for the management of the Theatre. It is precisely this harmony of intent that made the choice of Andrea Battistoni as the new Music Director natural and confident. I am certain that, together, we can forge an exciting path forward for our audience and for the Theater itself ».

Artistic Director Cristiano Sandri adds: «The choice of Andrea Battistoni as Music Director fully reflects our desire to trace a new path for the Teatro Regio. The Maestro is a conductor of extraordinary preparation and musical sensitivity, deeply connected to our Theater, which he knows well. His ability to combine the exploration of the great Italian repertoire with new experiments represents an added value for our artistic project. Naturally, the appointment of a Musical Director is a crucial step for a theater as it means offering the orchestra and choir an artistic guide of reference. We welcome him with great enthusiasm».

Andrea Battistoni: « I am deeply honored and thrilled to have been appointed Music Director of the Teatro Regio Torino. It is both a privilege and a great responsibility for me to contribute to the history of one of the most prestigious musical institutions on the international stage. I extend my heartfelt thanks to General Manager Jouvin and Artistic Director Sandri for the trust they have placed in me. I will dedicate myself wholeheartedly to honoring this appointment, with a spirit of service and devotion to the artistic teams, who represent an invaluable treasure of talent and professionalism admired worldwide. Together, we will strive to create a path that increasingly highlights their remarkable and extraordinary qualities, offering both the local and international audience an ever-richer and more engaging artistic experience».

 
A path of collaboration already underway
Andrea Battistoni has developed a deep connection with the artistic ensembles of the Teatro Regio, marked by significant events both in Italy and abroad. Since his debut in 2011 with the Italian Republic Day Concert in Piazza San Carlo, he has conducted L’elisir d’amore by Donizetti at the Wiesbaden Festival in 2014, bringing the name of the Regio to a prestigious international event. Among his notable returns to Turin are La bohème as part of The Best of Italian Opera project for EXPO 2015 and the 2019 double bill featuring Casella’s La giara and Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana, directed by Gabriele Lavia. More recently, in January 2023, he conducted Verdi’s Messa da Requiem, and in October, he led La bohème, the opera with which the Regio inaugurated its Puccini celebrations. These milestones have built and strengthened his relationship with the Theatre and its artistic teams, laying a solid and shared foundation for his appointment to this new role.

A far-reaching assignment
Maestro Battistoni will conduct at least two opera productions for each Season, as well as several concerts. The maestro will perform both works from the great Italian repertoire, of which he is a profound expert, and less frequented titles to be rediscovered, with the aim of renewing and expanding the artistic horizons of the Regio. His first engagement on the podium of the Regio will be with Andrea Chénier by Umberto Giordano, on stage from June 18 to 29. The opera sees the return of artists of great vocal and interpretative stature such as Gregory Kunde, Maria Agresta and Franco Vassallo, and is proposed in a spectacular new production by Giancarlo del Monaco. Even before that, the Music Director will already be involved in the competition procedures for orchestra professors. One of the cornerstones of his mandate will also be cultural dissemination, with particular attention to young people. Andrea Battistoni, already author of the book Non è musica per vecchi (“This is not music for old people”, Rizzoli ed.) will work to make classical music and opera increasingly accessible and loved by a broad and intergenerational audience: «to fall in love with symphony, to be passionate about those wonderful sung novels that are operas, to enter the life of the orchestra and reveal the secrets that inspired the great composers».

An internationally recognized talent
Andrea Battistoni, born in Verona in 1987, has established himself as one of the most accomplished and versatile conductors of his generation. At just 27 years old, he was the youngest conductor to debut on the podium of the Teatro alla Scala, a milestone that marked his early rise in the international music scene. He regularly conducts at the Deutsche Oper in Berlin and the Sydney Opera House; in July this year he made a successful debut at London’s Covent Garden with Tosca and is eagerly awaited for his debut at the Paris Opera, where he will conduct Rigoletto in May 2025. Among the positions he has held throughout his career are the role of First Guest Conductor of the Teatro Regio di Parma, held from 2010 to 2013, and that of Principal Conductor of the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa, which he held from 2013 to 2019. Another notable achievement is his long-standing artistic partnership with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, which, only a few months into their collaboration, appointed him Chief Conductor for multiple seasons—a position that remains a cornerstone of his career. In addition to his intense schedule with major theaters and the world’s most prestigious symphony orchestras, Battistoni is also distinguished as a composer. This evening, November 29, the Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège will present the world premiere of Pucciniana, a cantata for soprano, tenor, choir, and orchestra, commissioned from Maestro Battistoni. The work, conceived as a musical dialogue in five tableaux, pays homage to the genius of Giacomo Puccini.
The complete biography of Andrea Battistoni is attached to this press release.

A symbolic bond with Puccini
The appointment of Andrea Battistoni is announced on a date of strong symbolic value: November 29, 2024, the 100th anniversary of the death of Giacomo Puccini. This anniversary ideally closes a year of celebrations dedicated to the great composer, which began with Maestro Battistoni himself conducting La Bohème and concluded today with his appointment, thus marking the beginning of a new phase for the Teatro Regio.

Commitment and artistic quality
With rigor and passion, Battistoni approaches each project with careful study and meticulous preparation, demonstrating an extraordinary dedication to music. This approach represents a precious value, which will help build a shared path of growth. With his energy, artistic vision and commitment to the future, Andrea Battistoni is preparing to lead the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Regio towards new challenges, strengthening its role of musical and cultural excellence at an international level.

The Teatro Regio di Torino, together with its artists, staff, and audience, extends its best wishes to Andrea Battistoni for a journey filled with success and fulfillment in his new role as Music Director. With enthusiasm and confidence, the entire Regio warmly welcomes him to this exciting and inspiring artistic adventure.