José Miguel Pérez-Sierra, the Madrid-born conductor is the first Spaniard to take on this role at Poland’s leading opera festival.
Focused primarily on the works of Gioachino Rossini, the Royal Opera Festival in Krakow (Poland) now has a Spanish director: the conductor from Madrid, José Miguel Pérez-Sierra, as announced by the festival’s organizing committee at a press conference. This is one of the three major European summer festivals dedicated to the Italian composer’s operas, closely linked through collaboration and programming with the Rossini Festival in Wildbad (Germany).
Pérez-Sierra’s career, which began at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro (Italy), has been deeply connected to Rossinian operas, with close collaboration with both the German and Polish festivals. A special feature of the Krakow festival is its distinct Spanish influence, as it has included a zarzuela production every year for the last several editions.
The Royal Opera Festival in Krakow remains true to its traditions but also opens its doors to other repertoire. Pérez-Sierra’s role as musical and artistic director will involve expanding this vision. He states that, most likely, „in future festivals, we will be adding operas from other styles to our Rossini and Zarzuela offerings, as both audiences and the musicians have shown interest in exploring new artistic avenues. It’s quite a challenge,” he says.
Pérez-Sierra will continue his role in Poland alongside his position as musical director at the Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid and as principal guest conductor at the Opera of A Coruña. His 2024/2025 season commitments include beginning the season with La Bohème in A Coruña, followed by Marina at the Teatro de la Zarzuela; La verbena de la Paloma at the Palau de Les Arts in Valencia; Maria Stuarda at the Teatro Real; Turandot at Theater Basel; Mahler’s Ninth Symphony with the Krakow Philharmonic; Aida at the Football Stadium in Metz with the Opéra-Théâtre de Metz Métropole ensembles; and La tabernera del puerto at the Teatro de la Zarzuela.
