David Stern Named Music Director at Palm Beach Opera

(Photo credit: Tom Watson) Palm Beach Opera has announced the extension of David Stern’s contract and appointment as Music Director. Maestro Stern made his Palm Beach Opera debut in the 2014 production of “Macbeth.” He became Chief Conductor in 2015, following his leadership in the company’s world premiere of “Enemies, A Love Story” by Ben Moore and Nahma Sandrow.

His contract will run through the 2026-27 season. Beyond Palm Beach Opera, Stern has served as Music Director at the Israel Opera in Tel Aviv and Opera St Gallen in Switzerland. He founded the Paris-based company Opera Fuoco and Académie International d’Art Lyrique at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence.



He continues to engage with young artists’ programs worldwide, including regular collaborations with the Juilliard School and the Curtis Institute. Stern’s discography includes rare operas and concertos, such as Giovanni Simone Mayr’s “L’amor conjugale” and “Medea in Corinto,” JC Bach’s “Zanaïda,” and Kurt Weill’s “Lady in the Dark.” This season, he will also serve as guest conductor for the DEMOS project in St Quentin en Yvelines.

Other upcoming projects include Opera Fuoco’s multi-year residency at Opéra de Massy beginning in Sept. 2024, followed by a new production of Monteverdi’s “The Return of Ulysses,” with hip-hop choreographer Anne Nguyen in 2027, as well as an appearance at Bachfest in Leipzig. The company’s General Director James Barbato said in a press release, “Maestro Stern has been a bedrock of musical excellence at Palm Beach Opera for more than a decade, and his passionate performances have been among the company’s most memorable highlights.

He has the rare gift of expertise in a wide range of repertoire from Mozart to Puccini and beyond. Moreover, he is a strong artistic partner who shares our vision for achieving the very highest standards of the artform and for the growth of this great company. We look forward to many more years of collaboration with Maestro Stern, and we are very grateful to Ari Rifkin for her continued support.

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