Gerard Mortier

Who is Gerard Mortier?

Gerard Alfons August, Baron Mortier is a Belgian opera director and administrator of Flemish origin.

Mortier has served as general director of La Monnaie/De Munt and of the Salzburg Festival. He was a founding director of the Ruhr Triennale arts festival in Germany, and then he became general director of the Opéra National de Paris in 2004. He relinquished this post in 2009.

In February 2007, the New York City Opera named him their next general director, effective as of the 2009/2010 season. Mortier assisted with company operations from Paris during the interim period after his appointment was announced. Problems with fund-raising and a smaller-than-expected budget began to develop during the interim period after Mortier's appointment. At one point, there was controversy during this time over speculation that Mortier was campaigning for a position as co-artistic director of the Bayreuth Festival. In November 2008, by mutual agreement, Mortier and the NYCO agreed to terminate their contract, and that he would not become NYCO's general director.

Late in November 2008, the Teatro Real of Madrid announced the appointment of Mortier as its next general director, effective September 2010.