Maestro János Ács

Biography

A Life In Music

For more than 47 years, Maestro János Ács has conducted on the world’s most prestigious stages – from Paris to Tokyo, Amsterdam to Seoul, Frankfurt to Chicago, Helsinki to New York. He has held permanent posts as Principal Guest Conductor and Music Director in Denver, Pretoria, and Salerno. Ács collaborated with the greatest voices of his time, including Raina Kabaivanska, Fiorenza Cossotto, Agnes Baltsa, Jon Vickers, Piero Cappuccilli, Rolando Panerai, and Giuseppe Giacomini. At the 1998 Grammy Awards in New York, he appeared with Aretha Franklin. He conducted Puccini’s Turandot in Beijing, Paris, and at the Munich Olympic Stadium in Zhang Yimou’s spectacular production. From 1991 to 2003, Ács toured worldwide with Luciano Pavarotti, bringing opera to millions, and from 1998 to 2003 he led the legendary concerts of The Three Tenors. In Italy, he has conducted at the Arena di Verona, the Terme di Caracalla in Rome, the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago, and at nearly every major opera house across the country. His debut took place at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa with Beethoven’s Fidelio. Earlier in his life, Ács studied piano and flute at the Budapest Conservatory before completing his degrees in composition, organ, and orchestral conducting at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan. He began his career as a répétiteur and assistant conductor at leading Italian theaters. Alongside his international conducting career, Ács has been a professor at the University of Cambridge, the University of Colorado, and Musashino Academia Musicae in Tokyo, passing on his knowledge to the next generation.

Career Highlights

Conductor of the historic final “Three Tenors” concert (Bath, UK)
Close collaborator with Luciano Pavarotti on world tours across four continents
Appearance at the Grammy Awards New York with Aretha Franklin and the MET Orchestra
Engagements at leading opera houses worldwide (La Scala, La Fenice, Opera Colorado, Pretoria)
Former Artistic Director of Teatro Comunale di Salerno
Conductor of the Grand Finale of “Virtuosos” 2025 (Hungary)