Roberto Beltrán Zavala
Conductor
“There is a thrilling intensity here, a powerful sense of common purpose, that one hears only in the best ensembles.” (Musicweb-international.com) - “The orchestra under conductor Roberto Beltrán Zavala gives careful, tense performances that modulate beautifully.” (Allmusic.com): Widely regarded by audiences, soloists and orchestras as a uniquely inspiring musician, the Mexican-Dutch conductor Roberto Beltrán-Zavala has earned an international reputation for his electrifying performances especially of late romantic and twentieth-century repertoire across Europe and the Americas.
Highlights of the current season include a cycle of all Rachmaninoff symphonic works and concertos and a concert performance of Verdi's Aida, celebrating the re-opening and 120th anniversary of Teatro Juarez, a spectacular venue inaugurated with Verdi's Aida in 1903. Recent highlights also include acclaimed performances of all Beethoven symphonies celebrating the composer's memorial year, and musical cornerstones of his repertoire such as full Shostakovich and Mahler symphonic cycles as well as important works by Stravinsky, Varèse, Boulez, Messiaen, Bartók and Ligeti. In 2021 he conducted a critically acclaimed production of Mozart's Don Giovanni in León, following Puccini’s Tosca in 2019.
Roberto Beltrán-Zavala is currently in his twelfth season as chief conductor of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Guanajuato, one of the oldest and most prestigious orchestral ensembles in Latin America. He is also principal conductor of the AKOM Ensemble, a contemporary music group based in the Netherlands and has been Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Palermo Classica Festival in Italy since 2020.
A much sought-after guest conductor, he has conducted the Orchestre d’Auvergne, Silesian Philharmonic, Holland Symphonia, Romanian National Radio Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic Strings, Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra, The Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, Mexico’s National Symphony Orchestra, The Chamber Orchestra of Belgium, Bremerhaven Philharmonic, Sinfonica di Sanremo and Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, among others.
The discography of Roberto Beltrán includes a 2022 release of the Tenth Symphony by Shostakovich (on Evidence), followed in 2023 by a recording of Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony (also due on Evidence). In February 2020 his recording of Mahler's Third Symphony was released, raising worldwide attention. With re:orchestra he released a widely acclaimed album of String Quartets No. 3 & 4 by Shostakovich transcribed for chamber orchestra (on BIS Records).
In 2022 Roberto Beltrán was awarded the Mahler Award by Sociedad Mahler, the world's second-largest Mahler association, with Marina Mahler handing him the award.
Born in Mexico, Roberto Beltrán was trained by his father at an early age and later studied double bass, guitar and composition, before starting to conduct at the age of 22. He moved to the Netherlands at 26 to complete his studies at the Rotterdam Conservatory. He went on to be appointed assistant conductor of the Dutch National Youth Symphony Orchestra and served as principal conductor of the Rotterdam Youth Symphony Orchestra. Holding Dutch and Mexican citizenship, he lives with his family in Rotterdam.
