Fayçal Karoui appointed Music Director

[Alexandra]

The press release:

NEW YORK CITY BALLET APPOINTS

FAYÇAL KAROUI MUSIC DIRECTOR

New York City Ballet announced today that it has appointed Fayçal Karoui as Music Director. Mr. Karoui will join NYCB on December 1, 2006, succeeding Andrea Quinn, who, after five years with NYCB, returned to her native England at the conclusion of the 2006 spring season.

Born in Paris, Mr. Karoui is one of France’s leading young conductors and has worked with various orchestras and soloists throughout that country. He made his New York City Ballet debut in January 2006, conducting Peter Martins’ full-length production of Swan Lake. He has continued to appear with NYCB as a guest conductor throughout the past seven months conducting Ballo della Regina, Fearful Symmetries, Firebird, and Symphony in C.

In making the appointment, NYCB’s Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins said, “I am thrilled to welcome Fayçal to the New York City Ballet family. In the past few months we have all been won over by his enthusiasm, youthful energy, and, above all, incredible talent. I know that he will be a wonderful leader for our orchestra, and a terrific custodian of the Company’s extraordinary musical heritage.”

“This is a big honor for me, and I am very excited to be joining the New York City Ballet,” said Mr. Karoui. “I will do my best to keep the performances on the same high level as they have been and to continue the great work of the orchestra. The history of this Company is so incredible, the repertory is unbelievable, and music is at the center of everything here. I can’t wait to get started.”

Since 2001 Mr. Karoui has been the Music Director of Orchestre de Pau, Pays de Béarn, in southwest France, where his repertory has ranged from classical and Romantic symphonic works by Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart, to new works by living composers.

Mr. Karoui studied conducting at the Conservatoire de Paris where he obtained a First Prize in Conducting in 1997. The following year, Mr. Karoui became the assistant to conductor Michel Plasson at the Orchestra National du Capitole de Toulouse. There, he conducted The Sleeping Beauty for the Ballet du Capitole de Toulouse, his first experience conducting for ballet.

He has also conducted gala performances for the school of the Paris Opera Ballet, with the Orchestra of the Paris Opera. In addition, Mr. Karoui has conducted such prestigious orchestras as the Paris Orchestra, Lille National Orchestra, and the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1999, he was a finalist at France’s prestigious Besançon International Competition for Young Conductors.

Mr. Karoui will become New York City Ballet’s fifth Music Director, following Andrea Quinn, who came to New York City Ballet during the 2001 season. Leon Barzin was NYCB’s first Music Director (1948-1958), followed by Robert Irving (1958-1989) and Gordon Boelzner (1990-2001).

New York City Ballet’s music director search has been funded by The Frank & Lydia Bergen Foundation.

[drb]

NEW YORK CITY BALLET APPOINTS

FAYÇAL KAROUI MUSIC DIRECTOR

Bravo! A great choice. During the past two seasons the orchestra seemed especially intent on playing well for him. He conducted the extraordinary second Swan Lake of Sara Mearns. Every mention of his work on BT has been highly favorable, and he seems to get the tempo right for the dancers while expressively honoring the composer as well.

[Farrell Fan]

Yes, the search has come to a happy ending. I talked to a long-time member of the NYCB orchestra in Saratoga last Thursday and he, as a professional musician, and I as an amateur listener, were both rooting for Mr. Karoui. I add another "Bravo!"