Boyish and charismatic, Morlot first trained as a violinist and is almost better known in the English-speaking world, where he studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and the Pierre Monteux school for conductors in the US, than in his native France. Everyone agrees, though, that he is a musician of enormous promise – an inspiring and exacting leader, an enlightened champion of contemporary sounds,  and a worthy successor to Antonio Pappano and Kazushi Ono, the latest conductors to have left a lasting mark on the orchestra.

Morlot will take up his functions in January 2012. Does that mean he and his family (a landscape-designer and translator wife as well as  two young daughters) will be increasing the ranks of Brussels’ sprawling French community?

Not exactly: the Morlots have just moved to Seattle, where Ludovic has accepted another job as permanent conductor of the local Symphony Orchestra. He plans to juggle the two assignments and to commute to Brussels for two operas and as many concert productions a season, totting up about three months a year in Belgium. Compared to his jetsetting lifestyle up to now, conducting orchestras around the globe and constantly hopping planes, this will almost feel like settling down.