Kent Nagano

Biography

Kent George Nagano, born November 22, 1951, is a Japanese-American conductor and opera administrator. He began his career as an assistant conductor with the Opera Company of Boston before becoming music director of the Berkeley Symphony in 1978. Nagano's tenure led to him championing various causes, ultimately leading to his position as Generalmusikdirektor at the Hamburg State Opera from 2015 to 2025.