Biography

Gustavo Gimeno is Music Director of Toronto Symphony Orchestra – a title he has held since season 2020/21 and extended through the 2029/20 season. Music Director of Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg since 2015/16, he will step down at the end of season 2024/25 – his tenth with the orchestra. He is also Music Director Designate of Teatro Real where he will assume his role in season 2025/26.

During the 2024/25 season, Gimeno and Toronto Symphony Orchestra continue their exploration of major symphonic works – including Sibelius’ Symphony No.1, Bruckner’s Symphony No.1, Mahler’s Symphony No.4 and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.6. Gimeno will share the stage with season 2024/25 TSO Spotlight Artists Jan Lisiecki and soprano Anna Prohaska; Yuja Wang, Renaud Capuçon, Víkingur Ólafsson, Behzod Abduraimov and Beatrice Rana. 

In Gimeno’s final year as Music Director with Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, programmes include Prokofiev’s Symphony No.3, Shostakovich’s Symphony No.15, Bruckner’s Symphony No.6 and new percussion concerto by Sauli Zinovjev featuring Vivi Vassileva. International touring has formed a significant part of Gimeno’s commitment with Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg during the last nine years. In 2024/25, he tours with the orchestra to Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid and Vienna. Throughout his tenure, Gimeno and the orchestra have visited many of Europe, South Korea and South America’s most prestigious concert halls, and soloists with whom Gimeno has shared the stage include Daniel Barenboim, Gautier Capuçon, Anja Harteros, Leonidas Kavakos, Bryn Terfel and Martin Grubinger. A highlight has been performances of the complete Beethoven Piano Concertos with Krystian Zimerman.

As Music Director Designate of Teatro Real, this season Gimeno conducts a new production of Euguene Onegin as well as concerts with Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid in their 120th year.

He is much sought-after as a symphonic guest conductor worldwide: 2024/25 appearances include Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Los Angeles Philharmonic and Münchner Philharmoniker. Highlights of past seasons include Berliner Philharmoniker, Münchner Philharmoniker, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Washington’s National Symphony Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra and Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. As an opera conductor he is invited for major titles at great houses such as the Liceu Opera Barcelona, Opernhaus Zürich, Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, Valencia and Teatro Real Madrid. 

Building on his relationship with Harmonia Mundi, in February 2024 Gimeno and TSO released to critical acclaim their first album together featuring Messiaen’s Turangalîla-Symphonie. Other repertoire recorded for the label include Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Puccini’s Messa di Gloria, and Stravinsky’s ballets The Firebird and Apollon musagète with Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg.

Gimeno and Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg have an extensive discography with Pentatone. Releases include a Henri Dutilleux album with cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras, Francisco Coll monography featuring the Violin Concerto with Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Shostakovich’s Symphony No.1 and Bruckner’s Symphony No.1, Ravel’s complete ballet music to Daphnis et Chloé, Mahler’s Symphony No.4, Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, Rossini’s Petite Messe solennelle and César Franck’s Symphony in D minor.