Rafael Payare

Rafael Payare is Music Director of Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and San Diego Symphony Orchestra. He was previously Principal Conductor and Music Director of the Ulster Orchestra (2014–19) with whom he appeared twice at the BBC Proms. Payare works regularly with orchestras worldwide including the Vienna Philharmonic, Staatskapelle Dresden, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchester, London Symphony Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic, Staatskapelle Berlin, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic, Sinfonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, and in the US with the Chicago, Boston and Pittsburg Symphony Orchestras, Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Cleveland and Philadelphia Orchestras. Opera appearances include at the Glyndebourne Festival, Staatsoper Berlin, Royal Opera House (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Royal Stockholm Opera and Royal Danish Opera. Engagements for 2024/25 include a European tour with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and returns to the New York Philharmonic and Philadelphia Orchestra.