His mandate, which runs until 2026, was renewed for six additional years, by decision of the President of the Republic and proposal from the Minister of Culture Rachida Dati.
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The general director of the Paris Opera Alexander Neef has been reappointed until 2032, said Wednesday 28 FEBRUARY 2024 the Élysée in a press release. The President of the Republic decided, on the proposal of Rachida Dati, Minister of Culture, to renew him in his position for a period of six years from the expiration of this mandate in 2026.
Arriving in 2020, in the midst of a health crisis, “Alexander Neef will therefore remain in office at the head of the first national lyrical and choreographic scene until 2032,” specifies the Élysée. With the ambition of “continue and amplify all of the transformative actions that he has initiated.”
Innovative projects
Since his arrival, “innovative projects have emerged, such as the Paris Opéra Play streaming platform or the Opéra en Guyana program which introduces young people to the disciplines of choral singing or dance”. To its credit also, according to the Élysée, attention paid to diversity, the development of patronage and a policy of cost control.
Under the authority of Alexander Neef, the Paris National Opera “has consolidated its position among the major international houses: a demanding lyrical program attracts talented artists and an increasingly renewed audience, while the corps de ballet remains faithful to its reputation for excellence both in the repertoire classic and contemporary”, details the press release from the Élysée.
New stars
In 2023, the Paris Opera named stars with very varied profiles, in the person of Hannah O’Neill, Marc Moreau and Guillaume Diop, the first black principal dancer of the 300-year-old institution.
Alexander Neef’s new mandate will be marked by major renovation projects of the technical and stage installations of the Palais Garnier and the Bastille opera house, the Elysée further underlines.
Multilingual German aged 50 years, the director was mentored by the Belgian Gérard Mortier, his predecessor at the head of the institution from 2004 to 2009. He previously made the Toronto Opera a renowned stage, where he helped to rejuvenate the audience .