Lawrence Foster heads Marseille orchestra

Lawrence Foater copyright The Gulbenkian Foundation

Last Friday, Foster signed a four year contract, binding him to the city of Marseille. A spokesperson for the Orchestra said that he will "spend at least 15 weeks of the year in Marseille, preparing two productions for each season".

Foster will begin his role at the head of the esteemed orchestra in September 2012 and plans have already been set in motion regarding the inauguration of Marseille as Europe's new Capital of Culture. It is a title that has been held by cities such as Tallinn, Istanbul, Liverpool and Porto in recent years and represents a chance for cities to establish themselves as both touristic and cultural destinations. Foster will open the ceremony on 13th January 2013 with a concert in collaboration with violinist Laurent Korcia.

Foster is no newcomer to the field, having previously worked at the National Opera of Montpellier, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Monaco, the Symphony Orchestras of Barcelona, Jerusalem and Houston, and most recently was the Director of the Gulbenkian Foundation Orchestra in Lisbon, a post he held for over seven years.

Born to Romanian parents in Los Angeles in 1941, Foster began his career at the age of 18, working as a conductor for a newly formed youth orchestra. He has worked at some of the most famous opera houses in the world such as the Opera Bastille in Paris and the Houston Grand Opera.

Foster is a famously fierce supporter and advocate for the Romanian composer, Georges Enescu, and on the 50th anniversary of the composer's death, Foster released a series of works dedicated to his idol.

Elsa Carpenter