After two decades as the music director of the LA Opera, James Conlon is departing Los Angeles for New York, marking the end of a tenure that briefly overlapped with his great-nephew Sebastian Conlon’s arrival as a LA Galaxy player. The two, representing different generations and performance arts, recently discussed their shared family history and the demands of public-facing careers in a conversation facilitated by LAist.
A Family Transition in Los Angeles
The familial connection between the two men became a point of local interest earlier this year when both were active in Los Angeles institutions. Sebastian Conlon, a goalkeeper in his early 20s, joined the LA Galaxy in January after being drafted from the University of Kentucky. By April, James Conlon, who is in his mid-70s, had concluded his 20-year run as the LA Opera’s music director. According to the elder Conlon, the two struggled to coordinate an in-person meeting due to the intensity of their respective professional schedules. As James Conlon prepares to relocate to New York, having moved much of his property into storage, the two have expressed an intent to finally meet in person.
Shared Professional Demands
Despite the differences between professional soccer and classical opera, both men identified common ground in the nature of their work. James Conlon noted that both are “on a stage doing something that is connecting with other people.” Sebastian Conlon echoed this sentiment, describing the experience of performing before thousands of fans at a game as a driving force in his career. The elder Conlon, who grew up in New York, compared the energy of Los Angeles to other global cities he has inhabited, including Paris, London, Madrid, and Rome. He encouraged his great-nephew to explore the city beyond the constraints of the LA Galaxy’s training schedule.
Future Professional Paths
While James Conlon is moving to New York, he maintains an intention to keep a connection to Los Angeles. For Sebastian Conlon, the transition represents a new chapter as he continues his career with the LA Galaxy, assuming the responsibility of representing the family name in the city where his great-uncle spent two decades. As both move into these next stages—the elder Conlon within the classical music world and the younger within Major League Soccer—their paths may remain linked through their shared family history and their mutual experiences in high-profile public performances.
Worth a look