Bertrand de Billy
President of the Conducting Jury 2025
Biography
Franco-Swiss conductor Bertrand de Billy served as Music Director of the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona from 1999 to 2004, and from 2002 to 2010, he held the same position at the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. During the 2024–2025 season, he was a regular guest at the Vienna State Opera, where he conducted Roméo et Juliette, Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Die Fledermaus, Werther, as well as a new production of The Magic Flute. He also returned to the Berlin Staatsoper with Nabucco, and conducted renowned orchestras such as the Orchestre National de France, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, and the Bamberger Symphoniker, among others.
August 2025 - Full biography on debilly.com
Events
Dedicated to the great symphonic repertoire, the second final brings together the three finalists conducting the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in works by Bartók, Mahler, Prokofiev, Strauss and Stravinsky. The final will be followed by the conducting awards ceremony.
FINAL ROUND PART 1 - ORCHESTRE DE LA SUISSE ROMANDE
- Participants: 3 finalists
- Format: non-public rehearsals and concert
Repertoire
- B. Bartók : Suite du mandarin merveilleux (20')
- C. Debussy: Ibéria (20')
- G. Mahler: Totenfeier (25')
- S. Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet (free choice excerpts, max. 25')
- R. Strauss: Don Juan (20')
- I. Stravinsky: The Firebird, Suite 1919 (20')
With the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande.
Each candidate must choose and prepare two works from the list. At the beginning of the Semi-Final Round, a draw will determine which of the two chosen works is to be conducted if selected for the Final Round. The finalists will conduct two rehearsal sessions (to be confirmed), a dress rehearsal and the Final Round concert, to be held at Geneva's Victoria Hall on 13 November.
Rehearsals and dress rehearsal are closed to the public.
Joint final for the Composition and Conducting Competitions: the three finalist conductors will, by drawing lots, conduct one of the three finalist works for symphony orchestra from the Composition Competition, performed by the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande.
Finalist works :
SING-YAT CHEN (26, Hong Kong)
Shattered sky / remaining land
HANURIJ LEE (21, South Korea)
Stuff #1
RAFAEL MARINO ARCARO (37, Brazil / Italy)
invention in language of child, op. 22
The final is followed by the Composition Competition Awards Ceremony.