Elena Schwarz

Conductor

Swiss-Australian conductor Elena Schwarz studied the cello and musicology before deciding to focus on conducting. Schwarz is a regular guest with orchestras such as WDR Sinfonieorchester and the BBC Philharmonic. She is an advocate for contemporary music and conducted the world premieres of works by composers such as Peter Eötvös and George Aperghis. She regularly works with contemporary music ensembles, including the Ensemble Modern, Musikfabrik and Klangforum Wien. Her opera repertoire includes Hänsel und Gretel (Norwegian National Opera, 2020), Peer Gynt and Kát’a Kabanová (Lyon Opera House, 2022, 2023) and The Sleeping Thousand by Adam Maor (Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, 2019). After conducting Innocence in 2023, Schwarz is returning to Dutch National Opera for Theory of Flames.

Theory of Flames will be performed from 6 to 22 March 2026 at Dutch National Opera during the Opera Forward Festival.

Last update: 25-2-2026