Enrico Lopez-Yañez is the creative director and principal conductor for pops and specials at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.
Courtesy of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas is a vibrant mix of people, interests and musical styles, and the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center is one of North Texas’ most celebrated places to hear live music.
This season, Enrico Lopez-Yañez steps into a new role as the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s creative director and principal conductor of pops and specials. He shares what audiences can look forward to in the 2026–27 season.
“This is a brand-new position that has been created, so it will allow me to have a bigger role and a more creative partnership with the Dallas Symphony, musicians and staff to build a stronger connection to the community,” said Lopez-Yañez, who has guest conducted numerous DSO performances over the past few years.
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The conductor grew up around music: His father is an opera singer from Mexico and his mother is a pianist. He has been conducting professionally for around a decade. Growing up, Lopez-Yañez would attend his father’s opera performances around the world.
“I was fascinated by these huge productions with singers, dancers and a gigantic opera pit of orchestra, and at the center was this person who was somehow helping bring this whole thing to life and helping connect people and helping elevate what all of these individual people were bringing as their own unique thing,” Lopez-Yañez said. “And something about that really captivated and inspired me.”
In his new position, he will shape the orchestra’s nonclassical programming, develop new concert experiences and conduct pop series and special programs.
“I was able to explore a ton of different genres growing up, which I think is why now it excites me so much to get to do the kind of work I do in Dallas and with orchestras across the country, which is partner with all these different genres and styles of music and artists,” Lopez-Yañez said. “It’s sort of everything I did as a child combined into one and then pairing it with what I studied in school, which was conducting.”
Upcoming shows include “Disney’s Hocus Pocus in Concert Live to Film” on Oct. 9-11, where attendees will get to enjoy the orchestra play the iconic score of Hocus Pocus live while watching the whole movie.
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Following that will be a vibrant celebration of loved ones who have passed away at “Día de los Muertos with the DSO” on Oct. 30. The event will feature Mariachi Los Unicos, Mariachi Lone Star, Booker T. Washington High School Folklorico, Mariachi Pegaso and Las Estrellas de Tejas Ballet Folklorico and will feature new songs and beloved classics. This will be the first time the orchestra features this many mariachis and the element of dance.
During the winter there will be “Disney’s The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert Live to Film” Dec. 4-6. “Holidays With the DSO” will have Dallas-native Josefina Maldonado on vocals, photos with St. Nick and festive decor Dec. 11-12 and Dec. 17-19. Spend New Year’s Eve with the DSO on Dec. 31 and enjoy dazzling medleys of musical delights as you ring in the new year.
In the new year, “Oops … I Sang It Again! Pop Queens of the ’90s & ’00s” will kick off the beginning of 2027. The orchestra will play smash hits from iconic millennial pop queens Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, the Spice Girls, TLC, Destiny’s Child, Lady Gaga and more on on Jan 8-9.
After will be “Disney and Pixar’s Up in Concert” on Feb. 26-28. “Everything I Know: Mandy Gonzalez Sings Lin-Manuel Miranda” happening March 19-21, will showcase songs from Hamilton, In the Heights, Encanto and Moana. The last show of the season will be “Barbie The Movie: In Concert” on May 7-9.
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“A lot of people think, ‘Oh, all they do is classical music,’ but we really try and strive to showcase that our musicians are some of the most talented and flexible musicians on the planet and can play in any style and any genre,” Lopez-Yañez said.
For more information and to purchase concert tickets visit dallassymphony.org.