Alain Lanceron Named President, Warner Classics & Erato

Senior team confirmed; Jean-Philippe Rolland becoming EVP, International A&R and Business Development, Markus Petersen assuming title of SVP, Global Marketing and Operations, and Bertrand Castellani as VP, International Catalogue

Warner Music Group Corp. (WMG) today unveiled its new-look Classics division with the announcement that Alain Lanceron is named President, Warner Classics and Erato. In this newly-created role, Lanceron will spearhead Warner Music Group’s global classics operations, recently strengthened following the acquisition of Parlophone Label Group (PLG) which included the renowned EMI Classics and Virgin Classics labels, now Warner Classics and Erato respectively.

Lanceron will lead Warner Classics’ creative direction as well as oversee A&R, brand-related projects and global catalogue development. Based in Paris, he will also direct local French catalogue development.

Lanceron joined WMG following the PLG acquisition, having previously served as President of Virgin Classics and Director of EMI Classics France. He reports to Stu Bergen, President, International, Warner Recorded Music.

Lanceron’s senior management team includes Jean-Philippe Rolland, today announced as Executive Vice President, International A&R and Business Development, Markus Petersen, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing and Operations and Bertrand Castellani, Vice President, International Catalogue. Dividing his time between London and Paris, Rolland will focus on signing and nurturing the most exciting artists from around the world. Petersen will be charged with continuing to build out the worldwide infrastructure that supports them as well as delivering high-impact campaigns that bring their music to fans existing and new. Castellani will steer an international catalogue drawn from the rich vaults of EMI Classics, Virgin Classics, Teldec and Erato. An additional key appointment announced today is Patrick Gamblin, who becomes Director of Creative Services.

In addition to its Paris-based headquarters, Warner Classics will have dedicated teams in the UK, US, Germany, France and Japan, as well as specialist support from the wider Warner Music operations in other markets. Further local announcements will be made soon.

Bergen said, “Classics is an area of renewed strategic focus for us so we are delighted to have an executive of Alain’s calibre leading our global efforts. He is widely respected for his creative flair, his skill in identifying and nurturing world-class talent and his ability to translate artistic excellence into commercial success.”

“JP, Markus, Bertrand and Patrick are all exceptionally talented executives whose knowledge of the international landscape is second to none and who, working with Alain, will help us to further build and support a roster that truly reflects our commitment to working with the cream of classical music talent around the world.”

Lanceron said, “With the Warner Classics leadership team confirmed and our reinvigorated worldwide network in place, we can now truly unlock the potential created by combining these two extraordinary classical catalogues. The depth and richness of the music we represent only fuels our ambition to sign and develop more remarkable artists and continue to innovate around their work to ensure that Warner is synonymous with the greatest classical music of yesterday, today and tomorrow.”

Recent signings to Warner Classics include opera singers Ailyn Pérez and Stephen Costello, whose debut album is out in May, and the Aurora Orchestra, one of the most creative and innovative ensembles in the music industry today. On Erato, Sabine Devieilhe, Bertrand Chamayou and Edgar Moreau are the latest additions to the roster, with brand new and critically-acclaimed recordings. Forthcoming releases include, amongst many others, albums from Alison Balsom, the John Wilson Orchestra, Joyce DiDonato, Emmanuel Pahud, Philippe Jaroussky and Sir Antonio Pappano. New signings will be announced soon.

Key catalogue releases for 2014 will feature two of the label’s most iconic legacy artists; Herbert von Karajan, with an Official Remastered Edition, and Maria Callas, whose Complete Studio Recordings have been remastered from the original master tapes. These projects represent the very best that anyone has ever heard Maria Callas and Herbert von Karajan on record.

About Warner Classics & Erato:

Warner Classics is one of the world’s leading global classical music recording companies.  Based in Paris, Warner Classics and Erato record exclusively with some of the finest musicians around the world including Alison Balsom, Natalie Dessay, Joyce DiDonato, Philippe Jaroussky, Emmanuel Pahud, Sir Antonio Pappano and with distinguished organizations like the Berliner Philharmoniker, The Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Orchestra e Coro dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and The John Wilson Orchestra.  The company has an unrivalled catalogue of recordings with international superstars including Plácido Domingo, Maxim Vengerov, Nigel Kennedy, Kiri te Kanawa, Itzhak Perlman, André Previn, Daniel Barenboim and Riccardo Muti, and the historic recordings of Mstislav Rostropovich, Maria Callas, Victoria de los Angeles, Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Jacqueline du Pré, Herbert von Karajan, Otto Klemperer, Sir Adrian Boult and Sir John Barbirolli, as well as the longest-serving artist in the history of the record industry, the violinist and conductor Yehudi Menuhin.

Source: Warner Music Group