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William Long
Praised by Opera News for his “masterful command of challenging, multi-stylistic works,” conductor William Long has emerged as a dynamic and versatile presence on the international stage. Long recently contributed to the GRAMMY Award–winning Metropolitan Opera recording of Terence Blanchard’s Champion and was honored with Career Assistance Grants from the Solti Foundation in both 2023 and 2025.
Recent seasons have included his debut with the London Symphony Orchestra at The Barbican, conducting Carmen at Washington National Opera, and making his Carnegie Hall debut with The Met Orchestra Chamber Ensemble. He also led San Francisco Opera’s Centennial Open House Concert and conducted the world premiere of Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up In My Bones with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra.
In the 2025–26 season, Long makes his debut at Houston Grand Opera conducting Hänsel und Gretel, and returns to the Metropolitan Opera to cover Carmen, Kavalier and Clay and Washington National Opera for The Crucible. He will also return to the Merola Opera Program in 2026, following his acclaimed debut in 2025, and continues his work with the San Francisco Symphony on several cover assignments.
Since 2020, Long has maintained a strong relationship with the London Symphony Orchestra, where he has conducted and assisted on a range of programs, working closely with Sir Simon Rattle and Gianandrea Noseda. He also serves as Guest Conductor and Teaching Artist at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, where he recently led a new production of Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges.
At the Metropolitan Opera, Long has covered major new productions including Golijov’s Ainadamar and both of Blanchard’s operas, Fire Shut Up In My Bones and Champion. His work at Washington National Opera has included cover conductor roles for La bohème, Carmen, Eugene Onegin, Candide, and the world premieres of Missy Mazzoli’s Proving Up and Blanchard’s Champion.