Julien Chavaz

Director Julien Chavaz is renowned in particular for his innovative and imaginative approach to contemporary opera and music theatre. Since 2022, he has served as Generalintendant of Theater Magdeburg in Germany. Under his leadership the company was named Theater des Jahres 2025 by Theater Heute and received a FAUST Prize for the innovative new music project eXoplanet#1. 

Chavaz first came to international attention with his 2018 Paris production of Dmitri Shostakovich’s Moscow, Cheryomushki at Théâtre de l’Athénée, which was shortlisted by Le Monde among the best shows of the year. In 2024, his Hojotoho! Hojotoho! Heiaha!, a daring reimagining of Wagner’s Die Walküre, was featured in the renowned nachtkritik charts. In 2018 he founded Nouvel Opéra Fribourg, serving as its Artistic Director until 2022. 

Projects In 2025–26 include new productions of Peter Grimes at Korea National Opera, Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, and Dostal’s Clivia and Schnittke’s Life with an Idiot at Theater Magdeburg. His repertoire spans a wide range of styles and periods and other recent projects includes Verdi’s Rigoletto (Santa Fe Opera and Irish National Opera Santa), Gerald Barry's Alice's Adventures Under Ground (Grand Théâtre de Genève) and Korngold’s Die tote Stadt (Korea National Opera Seoul).