A well-balanced singer/orchestra relationship is Johannes’ forte when conducting opera.

»I am a singers' conductor. I was lucky to have spent countless hours with singers – coaching and conducting – and to have learnt to breathe with them. I feel nuances in their phrasing and tempo intuitively, no words needed.«

In his function as long-term permanent conductor at the Aalto-Theater Essen, the Oper Wuppertal, and as guest conductor at opera houses throughout Germany and Europe, Johannes has conducted a wide repertoire, ranging from Scarlatti, Gluck and Mozart to Rossini, Bellini, Verdi and Puccini to Henze, Sciarrino, Jost and Hosokawa and operettas by Offenbach, Strauss, Lehár and Kálmán.

Johannes would like to see more pieces of our time being performed:

»Today's innovation in opera mostly concerns staging – the way we stage the 999th production of Carmen or The Magic Flute. There are so many contemporary operas still to be discovered and I think we need to dare ourselves to venture outside our comfort zone, in order to keep opera vibrant and relevant.«

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Johannes’ full bio and press

Johannes conducts a wide concert repertoire, ranging from early baroque music to compositions of our time. 

»I do not willfully search for new and shocking interpretations of classical works for the sake of performing them differently. My goal when performing any type of music is to let the music unfold on its own terms, to not disturb its natural flow, to let it be the best version of itself. This way, it will hopefully speak directly to the hearts of the listeners.«

Johannes is meticulous about the programming of his concerts:

»I put a lot of time and care into creating concert programs. A concert should be like a well balanced full-course dinner. All courses must give the others the space they require and none should overpower the other.«

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Johannes’ full bio and press