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Changes announced at Royal Danish Opera: Kasper Holten to quit in 2011 (BK)


In a press release issued today, Artistic Director of the Royal Danish Opera Kasper Holten has announced that he will not seek a new tenure as artistic director when his current contract expires on 31 July 2011. The Board of Governors has accepted his decision with regret.

Kasper Holten states: “I feel I am taking the right decision to stop while the going is good. In the summer of 2011 it will be 12 years since I was appointed artistic director at a very young age. I am very proud of having been the artistic director in charge of opening the new Opera House in Copenhagen, just as I am very proud of our many artistic achievements, which has taken us to the next level. But in two years time I believe it will be a very healthy thing for the Royal Danish Theatre to engage a new artistic director; one who can offer a fresh approach to developing the Royal Danish Opera. And I also think it would be right for me to concentrate on my work as stage director, working freelance.”

Kasper Holten’s productions in Copenhagen includes the acclaimed 2006-production of Wagner’s Ring, available on DVD worldwide from Decca (see Music Web reviews here and here). Future productions in Copenhagen include Tannhäuser and Die Frau ohne Schatten. Kasper Holten also has plans for productions in Helsinki, Vienna, Tampere, Bergen, Oslo as well as a cinematic movie of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, starring Christopher Maltman.

The Board of Governors of the Royal Danish Theatre will now seek to recruit a new artistic director, who will be appointed in 2010 so that he or she will have the opportunity to help plan the repertoire alongside Kasper Holten, who will be in charge of the repertoire until 2012.

Director of the Royal Danish Theatre Erik Jacobsen states: “Kasper Holten has been an amazing asset for the Royal Danish Theatre in the most important period in decades for the Royal Danish Opera. It will be a great loss to us when Kasper leaves the theatre, but it is an entirely understandable career decision. Fortunately, the Royal Danish Theatre can look forward to another couple of years in which he will help instate the new artistic director to gradually take over his position.”

Principal conductor Michael Schønwandt, who was appointed along with Kasper Holten in 1999, has previously announced that he will resign from his position when his contract expires in 2011.

Bill Kenny


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