Opera Director Barrie Kosky Receives Germany's Federal Cross of Merit

The Australian director spent a decade at the helm of Komische Oper Berlin

The Australian theater and opera director Barrie Kosky has been honored with Germany's Federal Cross of Merit, and received the award from the country's Minister of State for Culture, Claudia Roth.

Kosky's primary achievement has been his time at Komische Oper Berlin, where he was artistic director and chief director between 2012 and 2022. Following his inaugural season, the Komische Oper was named the Opera House of the Year by Opernwelt Magazine.

He has directed opera productions for the Bayerische Staatsoper, the Salzburg Festival, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Festival Aix en Provence, Oper Frankfurt, Opera Zurich, Opéra National de Paris, and Royal Opera House Covent Garden, among others.

In the current season, Kosky will return to Berlin as a guest, and will also produce Die Fledermaus for Bayerische Staatsoper, Die Lustige Witwe for Opera Zurich, Il Trittico for Het National Opera Amsterdam, Cosi Fan Tutte for Wiener Staatsoper, and a new original double bill for Aix Festival. The next few years will also see Kosky return to the Royal Opera House Covent Garden for a new cycle of Wagner’s Ring, following his take on Das Rheingold in September 2023.

The other musicians to receive the award were dramaturg Mustafa Akça, musicologist Eva Rieger, and choir director and teacher Sabine Wüsthoff.

"The recipients of the Federal Cross of Merit honored today are united by their commitment to wanting to make our country, our society and our democracy better," said Roth. "They all have the vision of bringing politics and civil society together with art and culture – and they are putting this vision into practice. [Recipients are] important role models for the people in our country."