All smiles at Dudamel naming

There was a love-fest Monday at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Calling it a “day of tremendous optimism and hope for the future,” Los Angeles Philharmonic Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen introduced his successor, Gustavo Dudamel, at a news conference on the concert hall stage.

“I wanted to be the one who hands over the baton to somebody wonderful, and the day has come,” Salonen said. “I wanted to make sure that the transition is seamless, smooth and that we found the best person for the job, and he’s here.”

Dudamel, 26, who has signed a five-year contract with the orchestra, will take over at the beginning of the 2009-10 season.

“For me, it’s very special to be here in front of one of the best orchestras not only in the United States, in the world,” he said. “This is a big honor for me and for what I represent, my country, the orchestra system that we have there, and also to have the opportunity to be close to this genius -- because this Esa-Pekka Salonen is a genius.”

“Our great maestros tend to start their work here in their mid-20s -- Zubin Mehta; this fellow here, Esa-Pekka Salonen; and now Gustavo Dudamel,” said Philharmonic President Deborah Borda.

“When Gustavo Dudamel took the podium -- I know this is mixing metaphors -- we had combustion. We knew something remarkable had happened.”

Members of the Philharmonic -- who had joined representatives of the media for Monday’s official announcement, laughed when Dudamel recalled the effect that Salonen’s recording of Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” with the London Philharmonia made on him. “It was in ’92. I was 11 years old,” he said.

Salonen blushed.

“No, this is very special,” said Dudamel. “It was, ‘Wow, this can happen, this is a very young man conducting a great orchestra in a very difficult piece.’ And he’s one of my idols for me in my life.”

Dudamel will have a two-week residency from March 28 through April 28, 2008. In 2008-09, he will have the title of music director designate and conduct an undetermined number of concerts.

For his inaugural season as music director in 2009-10, he will lead 10 weeks of subscription concerts as well as summer performances at the Hollywood Bowl. In each remaining year of his contract, he will conduct 14 weeks of subscription programs, plus summer and tour concerts.

When asked about his relative youth, Dudamel said, “I feel like I’m old,” drawing more laughs.

Even so, to prepare for his new position, he said, “I need to study a lot.”

Dudamel said he would split his time between L.A. and the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

“This is a very special place,” he said. “L.A. is a combination of energies, and this is exciting. I feel wonderful. I love the hot dogs here.”

In a separate interview later, he was asked about the rumor that he had fallen in love with the hot dog stand Pink’s.

“Oh, really delicious,” he said, but added: “Don’t worry. I have a good diet.”

chris.pasles@latimes.com