Daniel Barenboim has been named the next music director of La Scala, Milan. The post has remained open since Riccardo Muti left after 20 years, in 2005, as a result of major differences of opinion with the theatre's management.

Barenboim is currently La Scala's principal guest conductor, holding the title Maestro of La Scala and has worked on two productions each season. As music director he will devote 15 weeks per year to the house: he opens the 2011-12 season with Mozart's Don Giovanni in a production by Robert Carsen. He formally takes up the new role on December 1 and the initial contract runs to the end of 2016.

Barenboim is also music director of Berlin's Staatsoper (since 1992) and the co-founder and music director of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra (since 1999).