SCOTLAND'S national opera company has appointed a new music director, a French conductor highly rated by its orchestra.
Emmanuel Joel-Hornak, 56, will move to Glasgow, where Scottish Opera is based, to become only the fifth musical director in the company's 50-year history.
He succeeds Francesco Corti, and has already received plaudits for his role conducting two operas for the company, La Traviata in 2008/9 and Hansel and Gretel last year.
Mr Joel-Hornak, who is currently based in Montpellier, France, will take over a very different job from most of his predecessors. Scottish Opera no longer has a full-time chorus and its orchestra is now part-time.
However, it is understood the orchestra of Scottish Opera has praised Mr Joel-Hornak's work with them and approve of his appointment.
Alex Reedijk, general director of Scottish Opera, said the new conductor is a "fantastic music maker" and added: "He has had a really, really good international career and I think he is going to be of tremendous value to Scottish Opera.
"He might bring a certain Gallic flair, too."
Mr Joel-Hornak studied at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, and has conducted in opera houses around the world, working with English National Opera, San Francisco Opera, Göteborg Opera, Sydney Opera House, and the Bolshoï Theater. He will conduct Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffman in Hong Kong in May this year.
Mr Joel-Hornak will join the company in August, and his first performances as music director will be announced with the launch of Scottish Opera's 2013/14 season, scheduled for May.
He said: "I am extremely proud and honoured to become the new music director of Scottish Opera.
"For a number of years I have had a very strong relationship with this world-renowned company, founded by the great maestro Sir Alexander Gibson.
"I am looking forward to becoming a permanent part of Scottish Opera and leading the company through new musical challenges."
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