Tobias Theorell new Opera director at the Royal Swedish Opera

Tobias Theorell is a director and currently Artistic director at the Folkoperan in Stockholm. As Opera Director Tobias will be replacing Michael Cavanagh, who passed away earlier this year. Ellen Lamm, now acting Opera Director, will continue her assignment as Artistic Director of the Young Opera.

»It will be overwhelming and fantastic fun to take over the opera directorship at the Royal Swedish Opera. A task I take on with great humility and desire. This is an outstanding opera house that is about to enter a new and exciting era. I am very much looking forward to collaborating with everyone in the house and together with them presenting high-octane opera to the audience«, says Tobias Theorell.

He has a broad and multifaceted experience of performing arts, on Swedish stages as well as abroad and in theatre as well as opera. Tobias has acted as director in several productions at the Royal Swedish Opera; In 2011 – 2012 two works by Verdi, Stiffelio followed by The Masquerade Ball, and in the spring of 2023 the acclaimed A Midsummer Night's Dream with Elin Rombo and Robert Fux in leading roles.

»I am very pleased and proud to welcome Tobias to the Royal Swedish Opera. With his solid experience in opera and performing arts as well as broad networks within the opera world, he will be a valuable asset in our continued artistic development, which will certainly be noticeable not only in our opera repertoire but in the entire Opera house« says CEO Fredrik Lindgren.  

»Tobias is a brilliant man of the theater who has proven himself as director as well as Artistic leader of Folkoperan. I admire his creativity and his collaborative spirit and I can’t wait to get to work with him«, says Royal Court Kapellmeister Alan Gilbert, Music director of the Royal Swedish Opera.

Tobias will take up his position at the Royal Swedish Opera no later than February 28, 2025.