Daniele Rustioni
conductor
Daniele Rustioni is one of the most compelling conductors of his generation and a major presence at leading international orchestras and opera houses. He recently completed his eighth and final season as music director of the Opéra National de Lyon and was named the first-ever music director emeritus of this institution. In addition, Rustioni served as the first-ever principal guest conductor of the Bavarian State Opera.
In September, Rustioni will become principal guest conductor of the Metropolitan Opera, only the third in the company’s history. He is music director laureate of the Ulster Orchestra and conductor emeritus of the Orchestra della Toscana.
Highlights of the 2025–2026 season include debuts with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, San Francisco Symphony, Seattle Symphony, and his Cleveland Orchestra subscription debut at Severance Music Center after his debut at the Blossom Music Festival. He also returns to the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Zurich Opera Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra.
In recent seasons, Rustioni has made many notable debuts, including with the London Symphony Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, New York Philharmonic, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, and The Philadelphia Orchestra. He has led performances at nearly all of the renowned international opera houses, including the Royal Opera House, Paris Opera, and Teatro alla Scala. His festival performances have included Aix-en-Provence, the BBC Proms, and the Salzburg Festival.
In 2022, Rustioni received the prestigious “Best Conductor” award from the International Opera Awards. He also recently received the “Chevalier des Arts et Lettres” of the French Republic for his cultural services.
Rustioni began his career in 1993 as a member of Teatro alla Scala’s children’s chorus. He continued his studies at Milan’s Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi, Siena’s Accademia Musicale Chigiana, and London’s Royal Academy of Music. He currently resides in London with his wife (violinist Francesca Dego) and their daughter.