Music Director of Vancouver Opera, Jacques Lacombe previously served as Music and Artistic Director of the Orchestre Symphonique de Mulhouse in France (2017–2021), Principal Conductor of Opera Bonn in Germany (2016–2018), and Music Director of the Orchestre Symphonique de Trois-Rivières (2006–2018). He was also Music Director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (2010–2016) and Principal Guest Conductor of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal (2002–2006), following his tenure as Music Director of the Philharmonie de Lorraine in Metz, France. He is widely recognized as a “gifted and ambitious conductor” (The New York Times), whose artistic integrity and rapport with musicians and orchestras have propelled him to international prominence.
In July 2016, he was honored to return as conductor of the opening concerts of the prestigious Tanglewood Music Festival with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, having been invited for the third consecutive year. Among the highlights of his recent seasons is his debut with the Orchestre National de France at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, conducting a concert performance of Massenet’s Werther featuring Joyce DiDonato and Juan Diego Flórez. He also made his debut at the Alejandro Granda International Opera Festival in Lima, Peru. His symphonic appearances include engagements with the Taiwan Philharmonic National Symphony Orchestra as well as orchestras in Dallas, Nancy, Omaha, and San Antonio. More recently, he conducted new productions at Opera Bonn of Reznicek’s Holofernes, La bohème, Lucia di Lammermoor, and Peter Grimes, the latter starring José Cura, who also directed the production.
In recent seasons, he has collaborated with world-renowned soloists such as Emanuel Ax, Joshua Bell, Yefim Bronfman, Sarah Chang, Yo-Yo Ma, Branford Marsalis, Gil Shaham, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, André Watts, Diana Damrau, Joyce DiDonato, Renée Fleming, Angela Gheorghiu, Frederica von Stade, Roberto Alagna, José Cura, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, and Bryn Terfel. In addition to his extensive work with North American orchestras—including those of Boston, Cincinnati, Dallas, Edmonton, Montreal, Quebec, and Toronto—Jacques Lacombe has collaborated in Europe with the Orchestre National de France, the Orchestre Lamoureux, and orchestras in Málaga, Monte-Carlo, Mulhouse, Nancy, Nice, and Toulouse, as well as with ensembles throughout Oceania and Asia.
Lacombe is also highly regarded for his work in opera, with landmark productions of La bohème and Tosca at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; the world premiere of Marius et Fanny at the Opéra de Marseille with frequent collaborators Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu; and numerous productions including Un ballo in maschera, Ariadne auf Naxos, Der fliegende Holländer, and Eugene Onegin at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, where he has been a regular guest for more than twelve years.
He has conducted several rarely performed operas at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, including Zemlinsky’s Der Traumgörge, Weingartner’s Die Dorfschule, Orff’s Gisei – Das Opfer, and Waltershausen’s Oberst Chabert, all recorded and released by the CPO label. He has also conducted productions at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, including Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District and Donizetti’s La favorite with tenor Juan Diego Flórez. In addition, Lacombe has appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Teatro Regio di Torino, the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, the Opéra National du Rhin in Strasbourg, and opera houses in Avignon, Liège, Marseille, Metz, Nantes and Angers, as well as in Philadelphia and Vancouver.
His recordings include releases for the CPO and Analekta labels, as well as Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen Suite, Orff’s Carmina Burana, and Verdi’s Requiem with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. His performances have been broadcast by PBS, CBC, Mezzo TV in Europe, France 3 and Arte TV in France, and Hungarian Radio and Television.
Born in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Québec, he received his musical training at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal and the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. A professor of conducting at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. He is also a Chevalier of the Ordre national du Québec and a Member of the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest civilian honors.
Recent engagements include Samson et Dalila at the Teatro de la Maestranza, Death in Venice at the Opéra National du Rhin, Werther at the Opéra Nice Côte d’Azur, Hamlet at the Opéra de Saint-Étienne, Il trovatore at Opera de Montréal, Carmen and Don Pasquale at the Canadian Opera Company, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Don Pasquale in Vancouver, Werther at the Greek National Opera, Lakmé at the Opéra-Comique, as well as several concerts with the Orchestre Classique de Montréal.
His engagements last season included Die Fledermaus, Manon, and Madama Butterfly in Vancouver, Hamlet at Opera de Montréal, La bohème at the Greek National Opera, Carmen at the Teatro de la Maestranza, and Don Pasquale in Calgary.
Most recently, he premiered Rigoletto at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, and in the coming months he will conduct Dialogues des Carmélites with Opéra de Lausanne and Anna Bolena at the Greek National Opera.
Last date modified: January 2026
Not to be altered without permission. Please delete any previous biographic material.
In July 2016, he was honored to return as conductor of the opening concerts of the prestigious Tanglewood Music Festival with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, having been invited for the third consecutive year. Among the highlights of his recent seasons is his debut with the Orchestre National de France at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, conducting a concert performance of Massenet’s Werther featuring Joyce DiDonato and Juan Diego Flórez. He also made his debut at the Alejandro Granda International Opera Festival in Lima, Peru. His symphonic appearances include engagements with the Taiwan Philharmonic National Symphony Orchestra as well as orchestras in Dallas, Nancy, Omaha, and San Antonio. More recently, he conducted new productions at Opera Bonn of Reznicek’s Holofernes, La bohème, Lucia di Lammermoor, and Peter Grimes, the latter starring José Cura, who also directed the production.
In recent seasons, he has collaborated with world-renowned soloists such as Emanuel Ax, Joshua Bell, Yefim Bronfman, Sarah Chang, Yo-Yo Ma, Branford Marsalis, Gil Shaham, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, André Watts, Diana Damrau, Joyce DiDonato, Renée Fleming, Angela Gheorghiu, Frederica von Stade, Roberto Alagna, José Cura, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, and Bryn Terfel. In addition to his extensive work with North American orchestras—including those of Boston, Cincinnati, Dallas, Edmonton, Montreal, Quebec, and Toronto—Jacques Lacombe has collaborated in Europe with the Orchestre National de France, the Orchestre Lamoureux, and orchestras in Málaga, Monte-Carlo, Mulhouse, Nancy, Nice, and Toulouse, as well as with ensembles throughout Oceania and Asia.
Lacombe is also highly regarded for his work in opera, with landmark productions of La bohème and Tosca at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; the world premiere of Marius et Fanny at the Opéra de Marseille with frequent collaborators Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu; and numerous productions including Un ballo in maschera, Ariadne auf Naxos, Der fliegende Holländer, and Eugene Onegin at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, where he has been a regular guest for more than twelve years.
He has conducted several rarely performed operas at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, including Zemlinsky’s Der Traumgörge, Weingartner’s Die Dorfschule, Orff’s Gisei – Das Opfer, and Waltershausen’s Oberst Chabert, all recorded and released by the CPO label. He has also conducted productions at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, including Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District and Donizetti’s La favorite with tenor Juan Diego Flórez. In addition, Lacombe has appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Teatro Regio di Torino, the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, the Opéra National du Rhin in Strasbourg, and opera houses in Avignon, Liège, Marseille, Metz, Nantes and Angers, as well as in Philadelphia and Vancouver.
His recordings include releases for the CPO and Analekta labels, as well as Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen Suite, Orff’s Carmina Burana, and Verdi’s Requiem with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. His performances have been broadcast by PBS, CBC, Mezzo TV in Europe, France 3 and Arte TV in France, and Hungarian Radio and Television.
Born in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Québec, he received his musical training at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal and the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. A professor of conducting at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. He is also a Chevalier of the Ordre national du Québec and a Member of the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest civilian honors.
Recent engagements include Samson et Dalila at the Teatro de la Maestranza, Death in Venice at the Opéra National du Rhin, Werther at the Opéra Nice Côte d’Azur, Hamlet at the Opéra de Saint-Étienne, Il trovatore at Opera de Montréal, Carmen and Don Pasquale at the Canadian Opera Company, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Don Pasquale in Vancouver, Werther at the Greek National Opera, Lakmé at the Opéra-Comique, as well as several concerts with the Orchestre Classique de Montréal.
His engagements last season included Die Fledermaus, Manon, and Madama Butterfly in Vancouver, Hamlet at Opera de Montréal, La bohème at the Greek National Opera, Carmen at the Teatro de la Maestranza, and Don Pasquale in Calgary.
Most recently, he premiered Rigoletto at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, and in the coming months he will conduct Dialogues des Carmélites with Opéra de Lausanne and Anna Bolena at the Greek National Opera.
Last date modified: January 2026
Not to be altered without permission. Please delete any previous biographic material.
2021-2022 Performances
HAMLET
26 January 2022 20:00 Opéra de Saint-Étienne
28 January 2022 20:00 Opéra de Saint-Étienne
30 January 2022 15:00 Opéra de Saint-Étienne
26 January 2022 20:00 Opéra de Saint-Étienne
28 January 2022 20:00 Opéra de Saint-Étienne
30 January 2022 15:00 Opéra de Saint-Étienne
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