Dirk Kaftan
Meet our General Music Director
Dirk Kaftan is one of the most exciting German conductors of his generation.
Without doubt, Dirk Kaftan is among the most influential conducting personalities of his generation in Germany. With innovative programs, numerous world premieres, and visionary opera projects, he has been shaping the musical landscape for over two decades. Born in 1971, he impresses not only with masterful interpretations of the classical repertoire, but also with his bold, experimental concepts. Rooted in the region, he has been shaping the Beethoven Orchester Bonn and the Bonn Opera since 2017 as General Music Director with a unique vision: to make music accessible and tangible. His work represents artistic excellence, both in dialogue with the city’s community and in collaboration with international soloists. He succeeds in bringing people together and turning musical dreams into reality. In doing so, he brings art to life, reveals hidden potential, and opens up new perspectives.
As a sought-after guest conductor, he regularly collaborates with internationally renowned orchestras and opera houses. His recent projects include performances and recordings with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the KBS Symphony Orchestra Seoul, the Staatstheater Nürnberg, the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe, the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, the NDR Radiophilharmonie, and Ensemble Modern. He is also a welcome guest at leading opera houses in Copenhagen, Hamburg, and Berlin. His production of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman at the Komische Oper Berlin was met with great acclaim.
His artistic work spans from grand stages to chamber music, as well as avant-garde and popular music – always driven by a blend of curiosity and respect for tradition. In Bonn, Beethoven’s birthplace, he dedicates himself especially to the composer’s oeuvre. By focusing on the historical repertoire of the Bonn Court Orchestra (Bonner Hofkapelle), he bridges tradition and innovation, developing a modern, dialogue-oriented understanding of music.
We are in the middle of it. In Beethoven. In Bonn. We tell exciting stories with and without words. To look at the past together, explain it anew and then take the good with us into the change that every era brings.
Dirk Kaftan
For his outstanding achievements, Dirk Kaftan has received numerous awards, including the OPUS Klassik in 2020 for the recording of Beethoven’s Egmont and the European Culture Prize in 2021 together with the Beethoven Orchestra Bonn. The 2025/2026 season promises an exciting program featuring diverse musical highlights and creative collaborations with guests such as violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja, soprano Chen Reiss, actor Matthias Brandt, Bonn-born pianist Fabian Müller, and television host Bettina Böttinger. Works such as Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, the “Resurrection Symphony,” Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with its final chorus setting Schiller’s Ode to Joy are among the highlights of the coming season. In addition, Kaftan will take on the musical direction of Richard Strauss’s Die Frau ohne Schatten as well as Giuseppe Verdi’s Otello at the Bonn Opera.
His work is marked by artistic excellence, inspiring collaboration, and a passion for musical discovery. With his modern approach and exceptional versatility, Dirk Kaftan continues to set new standards.