Italy’s Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Appoints New Music Director

Conductor Daniele Gatti will assume the role from 2026 for three years

The Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino has announced the appointment of Daniele Gatti as its new musical director from 2026 for an initial three-year tenure. Up until 2024, he was serving as Maggio’s principal conductor. 

Gatti will officially begin the role at the start of the 88th Maggio Festival in April 2026, and will remain in office until June 30, 2029, which will mark the end of the 91st Maggio Festival. 

His responsibilities will include overseeing the programming and operations of the company’s operas, as well as its symphonic and symphonic-choral concerts and tours.

Previously, Gatti served as music director of Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and held conducting roles at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestre National de France, and the Royal Opera House of London. 

“Daniele Gatti is one of the greatest directors on the international scene and has already profoundly influenced the recent history of our Theater, holding the role of Principal Director until last year with extraordinary artistic results,” expressed Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Superintendent Carlo Fuortes.  

“On behalf of myself, of the Board of Directors of the Foundation and of the entire Theater, I extend the warmest welcome to Daniele Gatti,” he added. “We welcome him with enthusiasm, ready to build new important pages of our history together.”

“I am happy, and I am for several reasons,” Gatti said. “I am returning to make music on a permanent basis with the extraordinary professors of the orchestra and with the artists of the Maggio Musicale choir, to work with all the people linked to the Florentine lyric-symphonic foundation, and I do so in the new role of Music Director, after the previous experience as Principal Conductor. I am also returning to collaborate with Carlo Fuortes, a superintendent of high professionalism and loyalty, for whom I have great respect, and with whom we have happily shared many projects in the past. I thank everyone for this new artistic adventure.”