Tomáš Hanus will be the artistic director of the Welsh National Opera

13 October 2015, 4:00
Tomáš Hanus will be the artistic director of the Welsh National Opera

He graduated in conducting from the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno under Jiří Bělohlávek, who held the position of an assistant later. Before that he was the director of the opera at the National Theatre in Brno. As of autumn he will lead the Welsh National Opera.

The successful Czech conductor started his career as Jiří Bělohlávek's assistant when staging Káťa Kabanová by Janáček at the Finnish National Opera (2003) and Smetana’s The Devil’s Wall at the National Theatre in Prague (2001). Then he held the position of the artistic director of the National Theatre in Brno. He achieved global success when he staged The Makropulos Affair of Janáček at the Opera National de Paris or Jenufa at the Bavarian State Opera (Bayerische Staatsoper). His collaboration with prestigious ensembles such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Musikkollegium Winterthur, Gävle Symfoniorkester or the Welsh National Opera, where he will become the artistic director in the next season, must also be mentioned

Tomáš Hanus said the following about his future position:

What will the dramaturgical concept of the 2016/2017 season be like? Will you continue in staging Czech operas as you have been doing so far in the whole of Europe?

The repertoire will be international; it will not primarily be the promotion of Czech music. However, in light of the fact that the intendant of the Welsh National Opera is David Poutney, who is favourably disposed to Czech composers and has staged them many times himself; the inclusion of these pieces in the repertoire is highly probable. I would like to stage Káťa Kabanová by Janáček.

You have worked with prestigious ensembles such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Musikkollegium Winterthur recently; do you think you will ever return to your hometown, to Brno?

I would love to stage a performance in Brno too; but there have been no offers so far.

Photo: the artist’s archive

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