Biography
Conductor
Xian Zhang
Xian Zhang is currently in her seventh season as music director of the New Jersey Symphony, which marks its 100th anniversary season in 2022–23. She also holds the positions of principal guest conductor of the Melbourne Symphony and conductor emeritus of Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano. Ms. Zhang’s 2022–23 engagements include the Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, St. Louis Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, London Symphony, Singapore Symphony, and Orchestre National de Lille. Previous engagements include Philharmonia Orchestra, Spanish National Orchestra, and Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse. In recent seasons she conducted the Orchestre National de Lyon at the Paris Philharmonie and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France as part of La Folle Journée festival in Nantes. She made her San Francisco Symphony debut in February 2018.
In the opera world, Ms. Zhang returns to Norwegian Opera for Tosca, which she recently conducted at Cincinnati Opera. She will make her debut with the Metropolitan Opera in 2024. Previous productions include Nabucco with Welsh National Opera, Otello with Savonlinna Festival, La traviata for Norwegian Opera, La bohème for English National Opera, and La forza del destino with National Opera.
Ms. Zhang previously served as principal guest conductor of the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales. She was the first female conductor to hold a titled role with a BBC orchestra. In 2002 she won first prize in the Maazel-Vilar Conductor’s Competition and was also appointed the New York Philharmonic’s assistant conductor, later becoming associate conductor and the first holder of the Arturo Toscanini Chair.
In the opera world, Ms. Zhang returns to Norwegian Opera for Tosca, which she recently conducted at Cincinnati Opera. She will make her debut with the Metropolitan Opera in 2024. Previous productions include Nabucco with Welsh National Opera, Otello with Savonlinna Festival, La traviata for Norwegian Opera, La bohème for English National Opera, and La forza del destino with National Opera.
Ms. Zhang previously served as principal guest conductor of the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales. She was the first female conductor to hold a titled role with a BBC orchestra. In 2002 she won first prize in the Maazel-Vilar Conductor’s Competition and was also appointed the New York Philharmonic’s assistant conductor, later becoming associate conductor and the first holder of the Arturo Toscanini Chair.
11/2022
