Leipzig Opera Names New General Music Director

Croatian conductor Ivan Repušić will step into the role at the opening of the 2025/26 season

Oper Leipzig recently announced that the Croatian conductor Ivan Repušić has been appointed as the company's new General Music Director. He succeeds Ulf Schirmer, who held the GMD post from 2009 and became the company's Artistic Director in 2011. Repušić will take up his appointment at the opening of the 2025/26 season.

Repušić was voted in by a selection committee comprising representatives from the Gewandhaus Orchestra, Leipzig Opera’s chorus director and chorus, and the company’s soloist ensemble, as well as the music journalist Volker Hagedorn.

He will make his first appearance in the role with the company on November 29, 2023, when he will guest conduct Mozart's The Magic Flute.

Repušić is currently Chief Conductor of the Munich Radio Orchestra, Principal Guest Conductor of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Chief Conductor Designate of the Staatskapelle Weimar. He studied conducting in Zagreb with Igor Gjadrov and Vjekoslav Sutej.

"I am very pleased that we have been able to appoint such an accomplished conductor and passionate musician as Ivan Repušić," said Tobias Wolff, the company's general director. "His inspirational vision for the development of Oper Leipzig and his extensive network of outstanding international singers will be a real asset to our leadership team!"