In 1962, he led the French National Orchestra to tour the United States. On November 1 of the same year, he conducted Mozart's opera "Don Giovanni" from memory for the first time at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, which caused a sensation. into the American music scene. In the summer of 1963, he went to the former Soviet Union and conducted concert performances in Moscow and Leningrad. From 1965 to 1971, Maazel became music director of the Berlin State Opera. From 1965 to 1975, he served as chief conductor of the West Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra. During this period, he also served as guest conductor throughout Europe and the United States.

From 1972 to 1982, Maazel served as music director and chief conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra. During this period, he led the orchestra to tour around the world many times, and led the orchestra to perform in Hong Kong twice, in 1978 and 1982. From 1978 to 1980, he also served as guest conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. After Maazel left the Cleveland Orchestra, he was invited to become general manager and artistic director of the Vienna State Opera. This is the first American conductor to receive this high honor. Two years later, he left Vienna to return to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. In 1986, he was appointed as guest conductor and music consultant. He was officially appointed as music director in 1988 and has been contracted until the 1995-1996 season. From 1998 to 1990, he also served as music director of the Orchester National de France.

In September 2002, he became the music director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. As Music Director, he has conducted the orchestra in seven world premiere works commissioned by the New York Philharmonic, including the Pulitzer Prize and Grammy Award-winning John Adams's "On the Transmigration of the Soul" by Stephen Hartke ’s Third Symphony and Melinda Wagner’s Trombone Concerto. He has conducted the entire orchestra to perform the complete works of Brahms and Beethoven, and in 2007 organized a symphony festival in memory of Tchaikovsky. The maestro has toured extensively with his chosen symphony orchestras, including 8 tours in South America and 23 tours in Japan. He also performs at least 40 shows in Europe each year. He conducted the music for the film versions of Don Juan and Carmen, and he regularly premiered major works by famous composers (Penderecki, Berio, Shchedrin). He also won the ASCAP Award twice for his great contribution to modern American music. In 2005, Maazel also led the New York Philharmonic on a historic visit to Pyongyang, North Korea and held a concert.

In 2012, he succeeded Christian Thielemann, who had resigned, as music director of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra.