He Reinvigorated the Met Opera’s Chorus. Next Stop, Chicago.

When Donald Palumbo departed his post as chorus master of the Metropolitan Opera last year after nearly two decades, he could have easily taken a break.

But Palumbo, 76, wasn’t finished. “I knew it was not a retirement situation for me,” he said.

Now Palumbo has lined up his next position: the Chicago Symphony Orchestra announced on Tuesday that he would serve as its next chorus director — only the third in the choir’s 67-year history — beginning an initial three-year term in July.