Switzerland's Luzerner Theater Names New Music Director

British conductor Jonathan Bloxham will step into the role at the beginning of the 2023/24 season

Switzerland's opera house, Theater Luzerner, has been searching for a candidate for Music Director for several years. Along with its artistic director Ina Karr, the organization has chosen British conductor Jonathan Bloxham, who will relocate to Lucerne to take up the role for the beginning of the 2023/24 season.

The theatre has recently undergone other staffing changes, having named a new opera director, Dr. Ursula Benzing.

Jonathan Bloxham began his conducting career as assistant conductor at the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and quickly progressed to working with ensembles such as the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, and the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg.

In October 2022, he was named as the Resident Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the London Mozart Players.

"I worked here [in Lucerne] last summer doing Bartok’s Bluebeard’s Castle and not only fell in love with this incredible city, but also the team here with its incredible ensemble of singers, talented music staff and absolutely world-class orchestra," Bloxham said.

"I feel I’ve found the perfect ingredients for really focused creative work on opera. The size of this town and the community around the theatre feeds into that because it gives you a great space to do this."

"I think in the role of a music director, you have a specific responsibility to the house and the musicians in the house, but I think there’s also a responsibility to the community as a whole," he added. "I’m making sure that the process of opera is open. I’m therefore hoping that we can make this community feel involved in the whole process, rather than only coming to see the performance."