Michael Rossi is a rising star in the next generation of conductors. He recently made debuts with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony and the Orquesta Sinfónica de Xalapa as well as the First Annual PepsiCo National Young Artist Competition with the Charleston Symphony. Last season, he was reengaged by the Philadelphia Orchestra to conduct a performance of Handel's Messiah and will return to the Charleston Symphony this season for performances of Handel's Messiah and 2nd PepsiCo Competition. As an opera conductor he made his international debut conducting Plácido Domingo and the Chinese National Opera Orchestra in Beijing in a live television broadcast and his Washington National Opera Main Stage Debut conducting Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro.

He also led the WNO Orchestra for a production of Hansel & Gretel, the first National Endowment of the Arts Opera Honors, and the orchestra’s Strathmore Hall Debut concert. In 2011, he made his Carnegie Hall debut conducting the premiere of Marcos Galvany’s opera Oh My Son and has recently recorded the album that will be released in late 2014. He returns to WNO this fall to conduct a performance of Puccini's La Boheme.  Presented in partnership with Miami Summer Music Festival.