Lydia Steier: The youngest director of the Ruhrtriennale is thrilled!

Lydia Steier: The youngest director of the Ruhrtriennale is thrilled!

The cultural world in North Rhine-Westphalia is facing an exciting change: Lydia Steier will take over the directorship of the renowned Ruhrtriennale from the 2027 season. On July 8, 2025, Culture Minister Ina Brandes introduced the young director in Bochum. Steier, who is considered one of the most sought-after directors of her generation, succeeds Ivo van Hove and will be the artistic director of the music and theater festival for the next three seasons until 2029. The appointment of Lydia Steier, who is celebrated as a “rock star among opera directors”, was unanimously decided by the supervisory board of Kultur Ruhr GmbH. She will take office on November 1, 2026, after van Hove presents his second season.

The American-born artist is known for her innovative approaches to musical theater. In recent years she has worked at renowned theaters around the world, including in Cologne, where she has always impressed with visually powerful productions and commitment to new music. “The Ruhrtriennale is a love letter to art,” says Steier, who would like to place emphasis on encounters and participation in her future programs. Garrelt Duin from the Ruhr Regional Directorate praised Steier's efforts to promote connections to the region, while Dr. Vera Battis-Reese, Managing Director of Kultur Ruhr GmbH, honored her international experience.

A look at the Ruhrtriennale

The Ruhrtriennale is the largest cultural festival in North Rhine-Westphalia and attracts tens of thousands of art lovers to the region every year in late summer. The event transforms the impressive industrial architecture of the Ruhr area into impressive venues for musical theater, drama and more. Last year, the Ruhrtriennale welcomed around 70,000 visitors who were thrilled by the diversity of the program. Next year, the festival will feature 35 productions from August 21 to September 21, 2025, including 13 in-house and co-productions as well as five premieres and around 630 artists from over 38 countries.

While preparations for the next few years are in full swing, reports are already being made about the season starting in August 2025 under the leadership of Ivo van Hove. Here, spectators can look forward to a program that is just as exciting as last year, which is characterized by the power of the performing arts.

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