Around the Music Festival

The German city of Cologne announced on July 5 the departure of French conductor François-Xavier Roth, the city’s general music director. The city stated that the cooperative relationship was terminated “by mutual agreement.” Roth was accused of sexual harassment by several women at the end of May, and will step down with one year left in his term.

The general music director of the city of Cologne is the post that oversees the city opera house and the Gürzenich Orchester, which is also in its pit, and Roth has been in that position since 2015. Some of the women who filed the accusations were members of the Gürzenich Orchester, and they refrained from all activities after the accusations.

Meanwhile, Roth is set to assume the position of chief conductor and artistic director of the Stuttgart based Southwest German Symphony Orchestra beginning in the 2025/2026 season, but the orchestra has canceled a concert he was scheduled to conduct in July. He has also canceled the November tours of Korea and Japan by Les Siecle, an orchestra he founded himself.

The position of general music director of the City of Cologne is set to be assumed by Colombian conductor Andrés Orozco-Estrada beginning in the 2025/2026 season, but the position will remain vacant for one year until then.

PHOTO：Gürzenich Orchester Köln