Arne Willimczik

Arne Willimczik, who has been working as study director at the Cologne Opera since the 14/15 season, completed his piano and conducting studies at the Hamburg University of Music. From 1994, he was initially engaged at the Stadttheater Bremerhaven and subsequently at the Staatstheater Darmstadt as a solo répétiteur and conductor. From 2001, he served as conductor at the Staatstheater Kassel and during this time was also active as a pianist and guest conductor at other theatres.

His broad repertoire ranges from the works of Henry Purcell to modern compositions („The Fall of the House of Usher“ by Philip Glass, „Tri Sestri“ by Péter Eötvös, among others). He regularly conducts world premieres and first performances, such as „Johann Faustus“ by Friedrich Schenker at the Staatstheater Kassel (2004).

As a conductor at the Theater Regensburg, he represented a broad repertoire over several years, ranging from Simon Mayr and Jacques Offenbach to Rossini, Verdi, Puccini, and Richard Wagner („Lohengrin“, „Die Feen“), as well as works of the modern era.

At the Cologne Opera, he conducted, among others, Udo Zimmermann’s „Weiße Rose“, Leoš Janáček’s „Das schlaue Füchslein“ and Wilfried Hiller’s „Ijob“, as well as performances of Giuseppe Verdi’s „Rigoletto“, Richard Wagner’s „Tannhäuser“, Richard Strauss’s „Salome“, Jacques Offenbach’s „Hoffmanns Erzählungen für Kinder“, Ralph Benatzky’s „Im weißen Rössl“, Jacques Offenbach’s „Barkouf ou un chien au pouvoir“ and Giacomo Puccini’s „La Bohème“.

In the 25/26 season at Oper Köln, he conducted Giacomo Puccini’s „Manon Lescaut“ and „Turandot“, as well as Gioachino Rossini’s „La Cenerentola“. In the 26/27 season, he will conduct Frederick Loewe’s „My Fair Lady“.