It’s being called “the end of an era” at one of Europe’s famed opera houses.

That’s the assessment of Stephane Lissner, the Superintendent of La Scala, at the news that Maestro Daniel Barenboim will be leaving the opera house at the beginning of 2015. He was originally scheduled to stay on another two years.

Lissner is also leaving La Scala next August to take over the Paris Opera.

Despite his departure, Barenboim shows no signs of retiring. The 70-year-old Israeli-Argentinian is working on establishing an academy for Israeli and Palestinian musicians, and a separate academy for musicians in Berlin.