Leipzig Opera Appoints New Director: City Council Confirms Peter Heilker for 2028/29 Season
Leipzig Opera appoints Peter Heilker as new intendant for 2028 season
On Tuesday, Leipzig's city council approved the appointment of Peter Heilker, currently deputy director of Vienna's MusikTheater an der Wien, as the new intendant of the Leipzig Opera for the 2028/29 season.
His initial contract runs for five years, through 2033. In Leipzig, Heilker will assume responsibility for both the directorship and the opera division.
The internationally experienced opera manager was selected through a competitive process involving cultural policymakers and external experts. In his current role in Vienna, he serves as director of programming and casting, overseeing repertoire planning and international casting strategy. Previously, he held long-standing positions as opera director in St. Gallen and as a dramaturg at the Bavarian State Opera.
Heilker has pledged to further develop the Leipzig Opera in close dialogue with audiences, the city, and artists, while sharpening its artistic profile. For him, Leipzig as a "city of music" serves as both "a guiding light and a benchmark."
Until he takes office in August 2028, administrative director Lydia Schubert will serve as interim managing director. The current intendant, Tobias Wolff, will depart at the end of the current season to become general director in Braunschweig.
By making this decision well in advance, the city aims to ensure long-term planning stability and facilitate a smooth transition.
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