The Royal Danish Theatre to appoint new CEO in August 2027

Kasper Holten has led the Royal Danish Theatre since September 2018. He has informed the Board of Directors that he will not seek to renew his contract when it expires on 31 August 2027. The Royal Danish Theatre will therefore appoint a new CEO after nine years under his leadership.

“By next August, I will have spent more than half of my adult life as part of the Royal Danish Theatre’s executive management. It is an immense privilege to lead the Theatre, but I also believe that privilege comes with a responsibility to know when to step aside – and to pass the baton to someone who can bring a fresh perspective to the Theatre’s national role and future development.

“These have been intense years, but I am extremely proud of what we have achieved at the Theatre and of the organisation I now feel ready to hand over to the next CEO. For now, however, I remain CEO for the rest of this season, and I look forward to everything we still have ahead of us – especially the opening of our new magical theatre playground, Hurlumhuset, later this year,” states Kasper Holten.

The Board of the Royal Danish Theatre is now beginning a broad recruitment process to ensure that a new CEO is in place to take up the position in August 2027.

“The Board of the Royal Danish Theatre greatly values its collaboration with Kasper Holten. Under his leadership, the Theatre has achieved significant results. More people have attended the Theatre than ever before in its history, while maintaining a high artistic standard – a very positive development for an institution of such national cultural importance,” states Lars Barfoed, Chair of the Board of the Royal Danish Theatre. He continues:

“Kasper is a highly capable and visionary CEO, and I look forward to continuing our excellent collaboration over the coming year. I have great respect for his decision to step down when his contract expires in August 2027, and I fully understand the considerations behind it. The Board will therefore undertake a thorough recruitment process over the coming months to find the Royal Danish Theatre’s next CEO.”

About Kasper Holten

Kasper Holten has been CEO of the Royal Danish Theatre since September 2018. From 2000 to 2011, he was Artistic Director of the Royal Danish Opera and, during his tenure, oversaw the 2005 opening of the Opera House in Copenhagen. From 2011 to 2017, he was Director of Opera at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in London.

Kasper Holten has directed more than 90 operas, plays and musicals around the world. His work has been presented at leading venues including the Wiener Staatsoper, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Bregenzer Festspiele, Sydney Opera House and Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. From 2003 to 2006, he directed the Royal Danish Theatre’s first production of Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen since 1912. He has also directed numerous major productions at the Royal Danish Theatre, including, in recent years, Amadeus, The Hobbit and Tosca.

Kasper Holten is a Knight 1st Class of the Order of the Dannebrog and in 2011 was awarded the Ingenio et arti medal by HM Queen Margrethe II.