The German-Argentinian Demis Volpi will be the new ballet director at the Hamburg State Opera and will succeed John Neumeier from August 2024. This was announced by Hamburg's Senator for Culture, Carsten Brosda (SPD), on Thursday in Hamburg.

Volpi (36) is currently still ballet director and chief choreographer at the Ballet am Rhein in Düsseldorf. Neumeier (83) extends his contract accordingly for a 51st season, as Brosda said. "In my opinion, the Hamburg Ballet has a good future."

Neumeier will celebrate his 50th anniversary at the Hamburg Ballet next year. The 83-year-old American came to the Hamburg State Opera in 1973. At that time he was the youngest ballet director in Germany. In 1978 Neumeier founded the ballet school of the Hamburg Ballet, which in autumn 1989 moved with the company to a ballet center set up by the city of Hamburg.

Neumeier has also been an honorary citizen of Hamburg since 2007. Neumeier has created more than 150 choreographies in his ballet career so far.

Information on the Hamburg Ballet Information on the anniversary season