Franco-Canadian conductor Yves Abel has been Principal Conductor of San Diego Opera since his appointment in the 2020/21 Season. He was Chief Conductor of the Nordwestdeutsche (NWD) Philharmonie Herford from 2015-20, and Principal Guest Conductor at the Deutsche Oper Berlin 2005-11. He has a particular affinity with the French repertoire and is the founder and Music Director of ‘L'Opéra français de New York’, for which he was awarded the Chevalier de l'Ordre des arts et des lettres by the French Government. Recent highlights included Carmen at Royal Opera Stockholm, Salome and La traviata in San Diego and Turandot at Savonlinna Opera Festival. 2025/26 highlights include Roméo et Juliette for the Canadian Opera Company, I Pagliacci and Il barbiere di Siviglia in San Diego, Carmen at Wiener Staatsoper, Les dialogues des carmélites at Teatro Regio di Torino and La damnation de Faust at Opernhaus Zurich. 2026/27 highlights include a return to the Metropolitan Opera for Massenet’s Manon.