The Paris Opera said Friday that star Venezualan conductor, Gustavo Dudamel, 40, will be its next music director starting from August. The 40-year-old podium star, already chief conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic -- a position he will maintain -- will take over from Swiss maestro Philippe Jordan, initially for a period of six years, the opera house said in a statement. ram/fmp/spm/lc