Kai Röhrig

Kai Röhrig is a University Professor of Music Dramatic Performance at the Mozarteum University, specializing in Opera & Music Theatre. He serves as Deputy Department Head and is a member of the Curricular Commission. Since 2014, he has taught in the Department of Opera and Musical Theater, and since 2024 has led the newly founded Ensemble for Contemporary Music. Starting in 2025/26, he will lead the international Master's program in Conducting New Music.

His educational background includes studies at the Cologne University of Music and Performing Arts and the Mozarteum University in the class of Michael Gielen. He also regularly attended summer courses with Rolf Liebermann.

Professor Röhrig is passionately dedicated to musical theater in all its facets, with stylistic diversity and a broad repertoire characterizing his work. His expertise spans from Baroque music to contemporary repertoire, with special emphasis on the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He is particularly active in contemporary music performance, having conducted numerous world premieres and first performances of works by composers such as Wolfgang Rihm, Adriana Hölszky, Hans Werner Henze, Mieczysław Weinberg, Manfred Trojahn, Steve Reich, Salvatore Sciarrino, Oscar Jockel, Henry Fourès, Christian Jost and Yann Robin.

As an educator, Professor Röhrig provides students with comprehensive training from Baroque to contemporary repertoire. Many of his graduates have gone on to become successful professionals in the music industry. He has conducted numerous opera productions at the Mozarteum University, including Benjamin Britten's "The Turn of the Screw," Giuseppe Verdi's "Falstaff," and Christian Jost's "Dichterliebe" in collaboration with director Florentine Klepper.

Throughout his career, Professor Röhrig has held significant positions including Musikdirektor of Salzburger Landestheater. He has appeared as guest conductor at prestigious venues including Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Staatsoper Hannover, Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz in München, and Innsbrucker Landestheater. His festival appearances include the Salzburg Festival (conducting "Zauberflöte," "Entführung aus dem Serail," and "La Cenerentola"), RUHR.2010 European Cultural Capital festival, and Richard-Strauss-Tage in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Professor Röhrig has conducted many renowned orchestras worldwide including the Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Akademieorchester der Wiener Philharmoniker, KBS-Symphony-Orchestra (Korea), Slowenische-Radio-Sinfonie-Orchester, Sinfonieorchester Vorarlberg, and the Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz. His debut at Berliner Philharmonie was with the Deutsches Sinfonie Orchester, and at Tonhalle-Zürich he conducted Shostakovich's 14th Symphony.