Conductor Stephan Zilias will become the new music director of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen from September 2026. He succeeds Alejo Pérez who took his leave in October 2025.
Zilias studied piano and orchestral conducting in Cologne, Düsseldorf and London where he is Associate of the Royal Academy of Music.
Stephan Zilias has been Generalmusikdirektor of the Staatsoper Hannover since 2020. That contract ended last year but was extended for the current season. He built a strong artistic profile there with productions encompassing both the great romantic repertoire and contemporary creations. His musical direction of, among others, Lohengrin, Rosenkavalier, Parsifal, Lear, La Juive, Greek Passion, Carmen, Otello, The Turn of the Screw, Mefistofele, Rusalka and Der Vampyr was praised for its musical clarity and dramatic depth. Under his leadership, the orchestra of the Staatsoper strengthened its reputation as one of the most versatile ensembles in the German-speaking opera landscape. In 2021 the Staatsoper Hannover won the OPER!-award for Best Opera House of the Year and the house received regular nominations in the magazine Opernwelt under his leadership.
He was Kapellmeister at the Deutsche Oper Berlin and assistant to Sir Donald Runnicles. In recent seasons he conducted Fidelio, Madama Butterfly, Oceane by Detlev Glanert and a celebrated Antikrist by Rued Langgaard in a production by Ersan Mondtag. Guest appearances include the Opera of Leipzig, the National Opera of Prague, the Savonlinna Festival in Finland and the Theater an der Wien, where he is currently preparing the Austrian premiere of Alice in Wonderland by Unsuk Chin.
On the concert podium he feels at home with an extensive repertoire including Schumann, Dutilleux, Haydn and world premieres of contemporary works. He is regularly invited by the Staatsorchester Nürnberg, Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, Zürcher Kammerorchester, Berner Symphonieorchester, Bremer Philharmoniker, Orchestre Symphonique de Mulhouse, Beethoven Orchester Bonn and the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest van Nederland.
At Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Stephan Zilias previously appeared as conductor of Der Freischütz by Carl Maria von Weber, in a production by Christoph Marthaler. A bold production that also received much praise on the musical level at home and abroad. With this appointment, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen marks its ambition to further deepen the artistic development of its orchestra and strengthen the dialogue between tradition and innovation.
"I have very warm memories of Der Freischütz, where I immediately felt a strong bond with the spirit and atmosphere of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen," says Stephan Zilias. "I have always admired the great artistic openness and clear vision with which the company keeps opera and ballet relevant, lively and exciting. Together we will continue to explore new musical perspectives with the orchestra, the choir, the singers and the entire team – a wonderful task I look forward to."
"With Stephan Zilias we welcome a conductor with international experience, a broad musical vision and a great sense of adventure," says Jan Vandenhouwe, artistic director of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen. "His musicality, openness and ability to combine tradition with innovation fit perfectly with the artistic course of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen."
Zilias will remain at the Staatsoper Hannover until August and will take up his position at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen in September.
