Young director Lydia Steier will direct the Ruhrtriennale from 2027!

Young director Lydia Steier will direct the Ruhrtriennale from 2027!

The successful American director Lydia Steier will take over the directorship of the Ruhrtriennale for three years from the 2027 season. This was announced on July 8, 2025 by the North Rhine-Westphalia Minister of Culture Ina Brandes in Bochum. Steier succeeds Ivo van Hove, who will present his second season from August 2025. Her appointment was made unanimously by the supervisory board of Kultur Ruhr GmbH, and the state cabinet also decided on the personnel on the same day. Lydia Steier will officially take office on November 1, 2026.

As the youngest artistic director of the festival to date, Steier will enrich the Ruhrtriennale with a wide range of program items. Known for her visually striking productions, she has worked as an opera director in the past at well-known institutions such as the Frankfurt Opera, the Opéra national de Paris and the Salzburg Festival. Her directing career began in 2009 at the German National Theater Weimar. In addition, she was nominated several times for the German Theater Prize “Der Faust” and was named “Director of the Year” in 2024.

A “love letter to art”

Lydia Steier sees the Ruhrtriennale as a “love letter to art” and is planning a program that particularly promotes encounters and participation. In her approach, she emphasizes the importance of the Ruhr area as a cultural space and wants to actively involve communities in the festival. Garrelt Duin, regional director of the Ruhr Regional Association, commented positively on Steier's connection to the region, which could strengthen the festival's local integration. A future-oriented plan!

The Ruhrtriennale, which was launched in 2002, uses old industrial halls, dumps and coal mines as stages for experimental musical theater, drama and dance. The international art festival takes place in late summer and invites artists from all over the world, which contributes to cultural exchange. Last year, 70,000 visitors were able to enjoy the events in Bochum, Duisburg and Essen.

Looking into the future

The upcoming Ruhrtriennale program, curated by Ivo van Hove for the season from August 21 to September 21, 2025, includes 35 productions as well as numerous premieres presented by around 630 artists from over 38 countries.

Steier is particularly known for her work in the field of new music and has worked intensively on premieres by contemporary composers. She wants to continue this tradition in the future and write the history of the festival. With her creative vision and her strong focus on community, Lydia Steier could bring new impulses to the traditional Ruhrtriennale series.

Lydia Steier's upcoming engagement as artistic director is characterized by a dynamic change that will give the festival an exciting new design. Their ability to combine classical and modern repertoire will certainly be a further step towards enriching cultural life in the Ruhr area.

vienna.at reports that Steier is known for visually powerful productions and has numerous award-winning works. Furthermore, has country.nrw presented the extensive program of the Ruhrtriennale, which attracts not only local but also international artists. For a comprehensive overview of other cultural festivals and events, it's worth taking a look festival-alarm.com.