Yorgos Ziavras Appointed Chief Conductor of Oper Wuppertal for the 2026/27 Season
© Dimitris Tosidis
WUPPERTAL, 3 SEPTEMBER 2026 - Greek-German conductor Yorgos Ziavras, known for his meticulous attention to detail, exceptional musicality and instinctive understanding of the score, has been appointed Chief Conductor of Oper Wuppertal for the 2026/27 season, following an exceptionally successful season as the company’s Principal Conductor.
Born and raised in Greece and based in Germany, Ziavras previously held a long-standing position at Theater Krefeld und Mönchengladbach, where he rose to become Deputy Music Director. Equally at home in opera, contemporary music and music theatre, he has developed a profile characterised by both a strong command of the core repertoire and a sustained commitment to new and rarely performed works.
Ziavras will open his season as Chief Conductor on 31 October 2026 with Giuseppe Verdi’s Otello, in a new production directed by Katharina Kastening. During the 2026/27 season, he will also conduct major productions including Georges Bizet’s Carmen and Ellen Reid’s Pulitzer Prize-winning opera PRISM, reflecting the breadth of his work across the operatic canon and contemporary repertoire.
Alongside his work at Oper Wuppertal, Ziavras continues his collaboration with the Sinfonieorchester Wuppertal and maintains an active symphonic career in Germany and internationally.
On 19 March 2027, he will make his debut with the Athens State Orchestra at the Megaron – Athens Concert Hall. The programme brings together the Greek premiere of Konstantia Gourzi’s Ishaón, the Angel in the Golden Garden, featuring internationally acclaimed violist Nils Mönkemeyer, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36.
