“For the past few decades, James Conlon has been the classical music world’s most noted American abroad. He’s held musical posts in Rotterdam, Cologne and most recently Paris, where he spent nine acclaimed years as principal conductor of the Paris Opera; his main foothold in his homeland has been the Cincinnati May Festival, a choral festival he’s led since 1979. But now, at 56, Conlon is coming home. He’s taken over the helm of the Ravinia Festival, the summer home of the Chicago Symphony, and in the fall he’ll succeed Kent Nagano as music director of the Los Angeles Opera.”