Giampaolo Bisanti Will Continue as Music Director of The Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège

The Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège has announced the renewal of its Music Director Giampaolo Bisanti's mandate until June 30, 2031. This decision, initiated by General and Artistic Director Stefano Pace in the wake of the renewal of his own mandate, reflects renewed confidence in an artistic collaboration that is demanding, visionary, and profoundly human.

Since his arrival, Giampaolo Bisanti has left a significant mark on the musical life of the Opéra. Under his leadership, the Orchestra has reached a widely recognised level of excellence, while the Chorus, under the direction of Denis Segond, continues to demonstrate season after season its exceptional artistic quality.

The renewal of this mandate is part of a shared artistic project shaped in close collaboration and reflects the joint commitment of Stefano Pace and Giampaolo Bisanti to uphold the Opéra's musical ambition within a dynamic of growth and fulfilment.

An internationally acclaimed conductor, Giampaolo Bisanti brings to the Opéra a musical direction that is demanding, committed, and deeply human. His daily involvement with the artists, his attentiveness to the teams, and his instinct for theatre make him a highly valued artistic partner. His presence in Liège enhances the company's appeal to leading soloists and plays a key role in the overall quality of the productions.

Strongly committed to mentoring and nurturing future talent, Giampaolo Bisanti is a driving force behind the International Opera Conducting Competition and the Masterclasses in Opera Conducting, two flagship initiatives that reflect the institution's educational mission and international outreach.

"I am truly delighted to continue this fruitful collaboration with Giampaolo Bisanti. His rigour, theatrical sense, musical generosity and unwavering dedication are major assets for our institution and make him an invaluable artistic partner." - Stefano Pace, General and Artistic Director 

"I am deeply honoured by the renewal of my mandate, which moves me as much as it motivates me. The Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège has become a true artistic home, where I feel supported, inspired, and artistically challenged with every production.

I look forward to continuing this shared journey and to taking on the artistic challenges ahead. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the Orchestra and Chorus for their talent, discipline, and musical sensitivity, which are a constant source of inspiration.

A very special thank you to Denis Segond, whose remarkable leadership of the Chorus enhances our shared musical vision season after season.

I look forward to continuing, with all the artistic and technical teams, an operatic journey worthy of this great house and its audience." - Giampaolo Bisanti, Music director

In this spirit of continuity and excellence, Giampaolo Bisanti will open the 2025–2026 season by conducting, for the first time, a major work of the French repertoire: Faust by Charles Gounod, in a new production staged by Thaddeus Strassberger.

Inspired by Goethe's tragedy, the opera depicts the insatiable quest for youth, knowledge, and meaning of a man willing to strike a pact with the devil. It opens a season entitled | Being | Appearing |, a lyrical journey in which characters waver between their innermost truth and the image they project to the world.

Already acclaimed in Liège for his staging of La Traviata, Thaddeus Strassberger sets Faust in a richly imaginative visual universe, between baroque museum and cabinet of curiosities. He is also responsible for the set and lighting design of this ambitious production.

A stellar cast will bring this season's opening to life: John Osborn (Faust), Erwin Schrott (Méphistophélès), Nino Machaidze (Marguerite), alongside Markus Werba, Elmina Hasan, Ivan Thirion, and Julie Bailly.