Alexander Joel And Luc Joosten To Leave Opera Vlaanderen

Opera Vlaanderen announces the end of the collaboration with its Principal Guest Conductor Alexander Joel by mutual agreement. Maestro Joel has been a regular guest with the company since 2010 and held the title of Principal Guest Conductor since the season 2016/17.

Chief Dramaturg Luc Joosten will leave Opera Vlaanderen in October 2018 to become Head of Dramaturgy at the Nationale Opera in the Netherlands under the new artistic leadership of Sophie De Lint. In Amsterdam, Joosten will be the successor of Klaus Bertisch.

Luc Joosten was Opera Vlaanderen's Chief Dramaturg since 2010. In close collaboration with artistic director Aviel Cahn he will continue to prepare the upcoming season 2018/2019, which will also be Aviel Cahn's final season with the company before taking over the artistic leadership of the Grand Théâtre de Genève. Luc Joosten will however return as production dramaturg for a couple of productions at Opera Vlaanderen next season.

The succession to these positions will be appointed by Jan Vandenhouwe, who will succeed Aviel Cahn as artistic director Opera Vlaanderen from summer 2019.

Opera Vlaanderen's next production Parsifal opens 18th March.

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