Staatsoper Hannover today announced the extension of their relationship with Music Director Stephan Zilias until the end of the 2025/26 season.

Stephan took up the role in 2020/21 following his debut at the opera house in 2019. He began the current season with a critically acclaimed production of Parsifal and has just finished a run of Reimann’s Lear. Stephan kicks off next season with productions of Strauss’ Salome and Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Of the extension, Stephan said, “I consider my job a privilege and am deeply grateful for all the artistic and human experiences that I am able to have every day. In intensive discussions with Bodo Busse, I discovered that there are many overlaps and common interests, which is why I am very pleased to be able to help shape his inaugural season…From the summer of 2026, I would like to devote more time to being a guest and at the same time spend more time with my family. Until then, there are still a lot of big tasks waiting for me, which I will take on with unwavering commitment and creativity and which I am looking forward to with all my heart."

Outside of his work in Hannover, Stephan enjoys a busy schedule as guest conductor. This season brings a variety of debuts, including with Theater an der Wein conducting Knussen’s Where the Wild Things Are, which resulted in an immediate re-invitation for the 2025/26 season. He also makes debuts later in the season at the Savonlinna Opera Festival for Lohengrin and Opera Vlaanderen for Weber’s Der Freischütz, and recently debuted with Radio Filharmonisch Orkest conducting Martin’s oratorio Golgatha.