Opera, once for life

Klaus-Peter Kehr has left his mark on music theater in Germany as an opera dramaturge, opera director and festival director. His ideas and experience are still in demand – from Palermo to Berlin. He has brought more than 30 world premieres to the stage, from Philip Glass to Adriana Hölszky and Salvatore Sciarrino. His name is also synonymous with the rediscovery of historical stage works. In conversation with culture editor Jörg Tröger, we talk about prima donnas and heroic tenors, faithfulness to the original and director’s theater, audiences and repertoires, and also the question of what opera can mean to us today.

Born in Heidelberg, Klaus-Peter Kehr has worked in numerous theaters at major German opera houses such as Mannheim, Stuttgart, Bonn and Cologne, as well as being music director at the Vienna Festival. He has also taught at various universities, including the State Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart, the University of Vienna and the Berlin University of the Arts.

Moderation and discussion: Jörg Tröger, former managing editor at SWR