Kazuki Yamada bows out after a decade with Monte-Carlo Philharmonic
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
The Japanese conductor leads his final concert with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo this Thursday at the Palais Princier, closing ten years at its helm.
After a decade as principal conductor of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo, Kazuki Yamada will step down following his farewell performance at the Palais Princier this Thursday evening. The Japanese maestro has chosen Ravel's La Valse as his parting work - a fitting, bittersweet choice to close a chapter that reshaped the ensemble's international profile.
Yamada, who took the helm in 2016, has spoken candidly about his decision, indicating he feels he has reached the natural limit of what he and the orchestra could achieve together. It is a rare and honest admission from a conductor at a senior post, and one that suggests the departure is considered rather than forced.
For Monaco residents who have followed the Philharmonique through its seasons at the Grimaldi Forum and its summer concerts on the Palace square, Thursday's performance carries particular weight. No successor has yet been announced, leaving questions about the orchestra's next direction open as the summer programme draws to a close.