Classical Music News

Florida Grand Opera Appoints New Music Director

May 12, 2025

2 MIN READ

Pablo Mielgo will join the organization, which also plans to launch a resident orchestra

The Florida Grand Opera (FGO) has announced that conductor Pablo Mielgo has been appointed as its new Music Director. Alongside Mielgo's appointment, the company has also announced the launch of its resident orchestra, which is part of a wider strategy of revitalization for FGO.

Having been running for 83 years, the company has often been the springboard from which singers have launched international careers. Most notably, Luciano Pavarotti made his first American appearance with FGO. The establishment of the new orchestra will allow a core group of musicians to shape the company's musical voice, with the aim of continuing this fine tradition.

Mielgo has been artistic and musical director of the Orquestra Simfònica de les Illes Balears (OSIB) since 2014, and, from 2020, of the Symphony of the Americas (SOTA). He is a graduate of the Royal Conservatory of Almudena Cano, the Escuela Reina Sofía, and the Guildhall School of Music in London (where he studied with Joan Havill).

He has assisted and collaborated with conductors including James Conlon, Jesús López Cobos, Daniel Barenboim, and Claudio Abbado. Mielgo has appeared at venues such as the Wiener Konzerthaus, the Musikverein, and Carnegie Hall — as well as throughout Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East.

"Bringing Pablo on board is part of a larger strategy to restore FGO to its rightful place on the international stage," said Maria Todaro, General Director and CEO of FGO. "He shares our belief that a great opera company must be built upon a strong and unified orchestra. Together, we will shape an institution that uplifts singers, inspires audiences, and honors our rich past while moving boldly into the future."