March 10, 2015
Spain’s Renowned Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia
Names Ramon Tebar Principal Guest Conductor
Valencia-born conductor Ramon Tebar was named Principal Guest Conductor of Spain’s Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia yesterday in a triple-post announcement about the leadership and direction of the renowned international house. Tebar joins celebrated Italian conductors Roberto Abbado and Fabio Biondi , who have been named co-Music Directors, of the new leadership. The posts begin this coming 2015- 16 season.
Tebar, who participated in the announcement by Skype from the Dominican Republic, where as Music Director he is currently leading the Festival Musical de Santo Domingo (one of four posts he held prior to the Palau de Arts appointment) stated that he was looking forward to his “debut in Valencia, particularly after ten years of absence,” and to “the beginning of a fruitful relationship.” Mr. Tebar will conduct both opera productions and orchestral concerts during his tenure.
Ramon Tebar has spent the last decade building an international career as an opera and orchestral conductor. The first Spanish conductor to be appointed Music Director of an American opera company, the Florida Grand Opera, Tebar is also Artistic Director of the Palm Beach Symphony, and Artistic Director of Opera Naples in addition to his work in the Domincan Republic, and enjoys an active and successful guest conducting career. This past February 2015, Ramon Tebar was bestowed the Cross of Officer of the Orden del Merito Civil (Order of Civil Merit) by the Consul General of Spain in Miami, Ambassador Cristina Barrios, granted to him by His Majesty, the King of Spain Felipe VI in appreciation of his cultural accomplishments. The honor recognizes extraordinary services performed by Spanish citizens for the good of the nation.
Tebar’s guesting credits include leading operatic repertoire for such distinguished organizations as Italy’s Teatro Regio di Torino, Martina Franca Festival, and Teatro Lirico di Cagliari; Spain’s Festival de Opera de a Coruna; Germany’s Kolner Philharmonie; Russia’s Kremlin Palace; Netherlands’s Het Concertgebouw and Argentina’s Teatro Colon. Among his orchestral guesting credits are Orquesta Sinfonica Ciudad de Oviedo and Orquesta de Radio Television Espanola in Spain; St. Petersburg Symphony and Moscow State Symphony Orchestra in Russia; Orchestra de Rouen Haute-Normandie in France; Het Gelders Orkest in the Netherlands; Orchestra Teatro Regio di Torino and the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in Italy, to name a few.
Born in Valencia, Spain, Ramon Tebar began working as a pianist and Assistant Conductor in his home town at the age of fifteen. Later he started to conduct his first symphonic concerts (and made his operatic debut soon after with Don Pasquale). He was Assistant Conductor with the Youth National Orchestra of Spain (Joven Orquesta Nacional de Espana, JONDE), and in the meantime, he graduated with honors in his hometown Conservatory: Special Honor Awards in Piano and Chamber Music Degrees; the Barenreiter Prize; Special Prize in the Musical Youth of Spain Competition; Medaille d´Honneur “Villa de Claira” (France) and an Award at the III International Conducting Competition “Luigi Mancinelli” (Italy). Since his arrival in the US in 2005, he has been part of the musical staff of Palm Beach Opera and Cincinnati Opera, working in around 40 opera productions, while maintaining a full schedule in Europe.
