As one charismatic Venezuelan conductor leaves, another arrives: Meet L.A. Opera's Domingo Hindoyan

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Set us as preferred Domingo Hindoyan had just moved to Switzerland, a serious culture shock for a 20-year-old kid from Venezuela, when he discovered a filmed concert of Christian Ferras performing Jean Sibelius’ violin concerto in 1965.As a violinist himself, Hindoyan was captivated by the French musician’s “earthy” playing — but as he kept re-watching the tape, he found his eyes drawn to the 29-year-old conductor, Zubin Mehta.“I just was impressed,” says Hindoyan, “how he was conducting so precise and so beautiful the Sibelius concerto.

I said: ‘There is something going on.’ ” Hindoyan, 46, now finds himself the music director of L.A.Opera in a city — and a concert house — shaped by Mehta’s baton.

He begins his new role with a production of Georges Bizet’s “Carmen” starting Saturday at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.Remarkably, Hindoyan is only the third music director appointed by the company, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this month.The timing is bittersweet: Los Angeles is getting one charismatic Venezuelan conductor while saying goodbye to another.Hindoyan has known Gustavo Dudamel since they were boys in Caracas and admits to feeling sad, “because I would have liked him to be here.

We are very close friends, and actually one of the conversations we had is, what a pity that we couldn’t be together a little bit in L.A.”It’s hard not to draw comparisons, but it’s a testament to the country’s renowned music program, El Sistema, that so many Venezuelan conductors have risen from its ranks.(Another alumnus, Rafael Payare, leads the orchestra in San Diego.) Hindoyan can’t explain it but notes, “I think for us, classical music is almost like soccer in Brazil or in Argentina.

It’s a need of: Let’s go there.”He adds, “Venezuela is a country that’s always dreamin...