The former General and Artistic Director of La Monnaie will succeed Markus Hinterhäuser and take up his new position in Salzburg on 1 October, following the 2027 Festival edition.
This appointment places Peter de Caluwe at the helm of one of the world’s leading festivals for opera, theatre and classical music. Founded in 1920 by Max Reinhardt, Hugo von Hofmannsthal and Richard Strauss (the creative forces behind the opera Ariadne auf Naxos), the Salzburg Festival brings together leading artists from around the world each year, combining the classical repertoire with contemporary creation.
Peter de Caluwe follows in the footsteps of another La Monnaie Director, Gerard Mortier, who after his mandate in Brussels (1981 to 1991) went on to serve as Artistic Director of the Festspiele, establishing a renewed vision for the festival until 2001.
Peter de Caluwe’s nomination opens a new chapter in the relationship between La Monnaie and Salzburg, which was further strengthened last summer, when the La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra and its Music Director Alain Altinoglu made a guest appearance at the festival, performing Werther in concert to great acclaim.
On 21 November, the International Opera Awards will recognise the artists, productions and most innovative projects that marked the international opera scene in 2026. La Monnaie has received two nominations: the first for the opera Medusa and the second for the Green Opera project.
This year, Mobility Week coincides with the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the Brussels metro network. La Monnaie, which promotes sustainable mobility, has joined in the STIB’s celebrations by organising a pop-up fashion show at De Brouckère station on 15 September.
Next year, the non-profit association 'Mortier Awards' will present the Mortier Next Generation Award, for the fifth time. This prize, worth € 30,000, supports artistic projects of young artists in keeping with the spirit of Gerard Mortier, former La Monnaie director and great innovator of the art form opera.
