The musician left the USSR in 1974 and became a U.S. citizen in 1983.
American conductor Semyon Bychkov will lead the Paris National Opera. Bychkov's upcoming performance at the Paris Opera will be the production of "Eugene Onegin," directed by actor Ralph Fiennes. The main roles in the performance are played by Russian artists.
The performances will take place from January 23 to February 15 at the Palais Garnier. Starting in August 2028, Bychkov will take the position of musical director of the Paris Opera. In this role, he will be responsible for the artistic level of the orchestra, choir, and vocal teachers, participate in planning the repertoire and auditions for key positions. Under the terms of the contract, Bychkov will also conduct two opera productions and six symphonic concerts each season for the four-year duration of the contract.
Bychkov will assume his position after a major renovation of the theater. After the 2026/27 season, the stage of the Palais Garnier will be closed, and the Opéra Bastille plans to halt operations for about two seasons starting around 2030. Bychkov believes this could be an opportunity to strengthen the symphonic work of the orchestra against the backdrop of a reduced number of productions.
Semyon Bychkov was born in Leningrad to a Jewish family in 1952. His uncle is American conductor Yakov Kreizberg, and his great-great-grandfather was a conductor at the Odessa Opera. Bychkov left the USSR in 1974 and became a U.S. citizen in 1983. He led the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra, served as principal guest conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, headed the Orchestre de Paris, and the Florentine Musical May opera festival. He then led the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra. Since 2018, he has been elected principal conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.
He conducts works by European romantics, Russian composers, and contemporary masters (Luciano Berio, etc.).
Bychkov's discography includes over 40 CDs and DVDs. They feature symphonies by Brahms, Mahler, Shostakovich, works by Barber, Berio, Berlioz, Bizet, Bruch, Wagner, Verdi, Wolf, Dutilleux, Mascagni, Mendelssohn, Milhaud, Mozart, Honegger, Prokofiev, Poulenc, Ravel, Rachmaninoff, Rossini, Stravinsky, Franck, Tchaikovsky, R. Strauss, Elgar, and others.
The recording of Strauss's opera "Daphne" in 2006 received the prestigious ECHO Klassik award in the category of "Best Opera Recording of the Year."
Bychkov's recording of Shostakovich's 5th Symphony with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra won the Belgian Caecilia Award and was recognized as "Recording of the Year" in the Stereo Review rankings. "Eugene Onegin" (with Orchestre de Paris) is included in the list of the 30 best opera recordings in the history of sound recording. Semyon Bychkov and the WDR Orchestra are active promoters of Russian music.
In June 2009, Bychkov and the West German Radio Orchestra participated in the IV Festival of Symphony Orchestras of the World in Moscow (the concert program included Schumann's Symphony No. 2 and Strauss's "Alpine Symphony").
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