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Israeli Conductor Takes on Role as New Chief of BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
by Shiryn Ghermezian
Omer Meir Wellber. Photo: Screenshot.
Israeli conductor and composer Omer Meir Wellber has been selected as the new chief conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the UK’s Jewish Chronicle reported on Thursday.
Wellber, 36, begins his new role in September 2019. He succeeds Spanish maestro Juanjo Meno, who led the orchestra for seven years.
“I first worked with the BBC Philharmonic in March and knew straight away that they were a very special group of people and exceptional musicians,” Wellber said on Thursday. “Manchester and the whole region is an incredibly rich area culturally, so I can hardly wait to start planning seasons to come.”
Wellber has been music director of Israel’s Raanana Symphonette Orchestra since 2009 and last month became Principal Guest Conductor at Semperoper Dresden, an opera house in Germany. In January 2020 he will begin his tenure as music director of the Teatro Massimo di Palermo opera house in Italy, according to Rhinegold Publishing.
“Having seen Omer conducting a number of orchestras over the last year I have been fortunate to have experienced his brilliance first hand in a wide range of repertoire,” the BBC Philharmonic’s General Manager Simon Webb said. “His immediate connection with the BBC Philharmonic was evident in his first concert and we are now delighted to have secured one of the most sought-after young conductors of his generation.”
