In a statement released by San Francisco Opera, Rosenberg said that her new post would be "an incredibly stimulating and exciting new venture. Working with [music director] Simon Rattle will truly be a dream come true, and I am humbled and honored to join the Berlin Philharmonic, which is surely one of the world's finest orchestras. I will have the opportunity to immerse myself in the orchestral and chamber music repertoire, both of which are passions of mine—and to develop and be deeply involved with educational programs for children, which I've identified as a very important goal in my life."

Franz Xaver Ohnesorg, the Berlin Philharmonic's previous intendant, resigned at the end of 2002, well before the expiration of his contract in 2006, for reasons that the orchestra agreed not to reveal.

Rosenberg announced a year ago that she would leave San Francisco Opera at the end of the 2005-06 season in order to move back to Europe, where her children and grandchildren are, and where she has spent much of her career—at the Frankfurt Opera and the Stuttgart Opera. She will be succeeded at SFO by Houston Grand Opera general director David Gockley.