Yannick Nézet-Séguin's Met Opera appointment the pride of Montreal

Yannick Nézet-Séguin called succeeding James Levine as music director of New York's famed Metropolitan Opera the culmination of a "childhood's dream."

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Now, the city that saw Nézet-Séguin grow from a 10-year-old dreamer to the soon-to-be conductor of one of the world's best opera houses is rejoicing with him.

"I felt really, really proud. Proud for him. Proud for us — Montreal, Quebec, Canada. What a great ambassador," said Jean Dupré, president of Montreal's Orchestre Métropolitain, where Nezet-Séguin became music director at the age of 25.

Even then, Dupré said it was clear the young conductor was destined for greatness.

A young Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts in a school performance

8 years ago

Duration 2:14

In this home video , Montreal orchestra conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin is seen conducting for a school performance as a child.

"He was able to bring this orchestra, which is today 35 years old, to a level that was never expected," Dupré said.

"He is the incarnation of a genius in music. That's what Yannick is."

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For Michel Beaulac, who has watched Nézet-Séguin's star rise from the time he was a young chorus master at the  Opéra de Montréal, the conductor's genius comes from his ability bring the best out of his performers.

"One talent he has is certainly as one of the greatest opera conductors I've ever seen," said Beaulac, the OM's artistic director. "I don't know of one single singer who wasn't uplifted [or] giving it all to Yannick."

In an industry where many conductors yearn to be known by their last name, Beaulac says Nézet-Séguin's friendliness and generosity is illustrated by the fact that he is one of the few conductors of his calibre that so many refer to informally, by his first name.

For musicians and singers who have crossed paths with Nézet-Séguin in Montreal's opera houses, they say that approachability pushed them to become better artists.

"When you're in front of him, you want to be perfect. You want to be the best," said baritone Étienne Dupuis.

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"And he does that to everybody and he's not even asking for it — it's just something that happens."

Nézet-Séguin is slated to make the big move to New York in 2020 and will continue to head the Philadelphia Orchestra in the meantime. Dupré doubts he will ever forget his city.

"Montreal is home, so we're not worried."