The Volksoper Wien has named Omer Meir Wellber as the new Music Director effective September 2022.

Wellber will conduct new productions and repertoire performances for five seasons and will be responsible for the musical life of the Volksoper and for the development of the ensemble, the orchestra, and the chorus. He will begin working closely with the company as early as spring 2021.

In a statement, Director Designate Lotte de Beer said, “I couldn’t be happier about the appointment of Omer Meir Wellber as Music Director of Volksoper Wien from the 2022/23 season. He is one of the most exciting conductors of our time. His brilliant musicality paired with his forward-thinking and bubbling creativity, make him the ideal partner to take Volksoper Wien into a new era.”

“I am very much looking forward to collaborating with the director Lotte de Beer. Not only because of her boundless enthusiasm for the new in art, I feel a great bond with her. The fascinating history of Volksoper Wien is both inspiring and challenging for me,” Wellber added. “The company was formed over 120 years ago as a theatre by a number of committed Viennese citizens. Under the young Alexander von Zemlinsky as Music Director, in 1908 it made the transition to an opera house, with the first Viennese performances of ‘Salome’ and ‘Tosca’ taking place there. Since then it has been known as the Volksoper. At this point, I would like to add that great music will define our performance schedule. And it will be accessible to all citizens of Vienna – as the name indicates, this is an opera house for the people, providing outstanding quality. We are determined to make the Volksoper one of the most exciting music theatres in Europe.”

Wellber is currently the Chief Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic, Music Director of the Teatro Massimo Palermo, Chief Guest Conductor of the Semperoper Dresden, and Music Director of the Raanana Symphonette. Previously he was also the Music Director at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia. The maestro has also conducted at the Metropolitan Opera New York, Teatro La Fenice in Venice, the Bayerische Staatsoper, the Berliner Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Glyndebourne Festival, and Arena di Verona.