At just 32 years old – only two years above the minimum age required to be eligible – the Italian conductor Michele Spotti, has been appointed by the French Ministry of Culture as “Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres”, one of the highest honors awarded to “individuals who have distinguished themselves through their artistic or literary creations or for the contribution they have made to the influence of the arts and letters in France and worldwide.”

This recognition highlights the exceptional international career of Spotti, on the eve of two major engagements in the 2025/2026 season: in October, he will conduct Falstaff for the first time at the Festival Verdi in Parma, and in May he will make his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York with La traviata.

Musical Director of the Opéra and Philharmonic Orchestra of Marseille since 2023, Michele Spotti, originally from Cesano Maderno, began his studies at the “Giuseppe Verdi” Conservatory in Milan, graduating in violin and orchestral conducting. He then pursued further training in Geneva, Gstaad, and in Italy with Gianandrea Noseda, Gianluigi Gelmetti, and Daniele Gatti. In 2016, Alberto Zedda invited him to serve as his assistant in the production of Rossini’s Ermione at the Opéra de Lyon. He has collaborated with renowned directors such as Robert Wilson, Damiano Michieletto, Barrie Kosky, and Pier Luigi Pizzi, and has conducted in theaters and festivals including the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, the Deutsche Oper in Berlin, the Paris Opera, the Arena di Verona, the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, and the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.

The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, established in 1957, is conferred directly by the French Minister of Culture and has honored prominent figures such as Rudolf Nureyev, José Saramago, Cecilia Bartoli, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jim Jarmusch, Meryl Streep, and Uma Thurman.

Photo credits: Michele Spotti © Marco Borrelli