Speranza Scappucci to become Royal Opera's principal guest conductor

LONDON (AP) – Speranza Scappucci will become principal guest conductor of London’s Royal Opera starting with the 2025-26 season.

The company announced his appointment on Monday.

The 50-year-old Italian, a graduate of the Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome and the Juilliard School in New York, made his Royal Opera debut last year in Verdi’s “Attila.” The Royal Opera has not had a principal guest conductor since Daniele Gatti from 1994–97.

She will work alongside Jakub Hrůša, who will replace Antonio Pappano as music director for the 2025–26 season. House said that Scappucci would accompany the bel canto to the works of Verdi and Puccini.

Scappucci was music director of Belgium’s Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège from 2017–22 and made debuts with the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, Milan’s Teatro alla Scala and the Paris Opera.