Cambreling was the music director of the Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels from 1981 to 1991, during Gerard Mortier's tenure.
[1] From 1997 to 2004, he served as principal guest conductor of Klangforum Wien, with whom he premiered Luciano Berio's final opera, Cronaca del luogo.
From 1999 to 2011, Cambreling was chief conductor of the SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg, and made several commercial recordings with the orchestra.
[10] Cambreling had been offered the post of chief conductor of the newly-formed SWR Symphonieorchester, but declined on principle, in protest at the merger of the two precursor orchestras into the new ensemble.
[13] Outside of Europe, Cambreling became principal conductor of the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra in April 2010, with an initial contract of 3 years.