{{short description|German opera and concert conductor (born 1971)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}} {{Infobox person | name = Dirk Kaftan | image = Gurrelieder-Graz2013.jpg | image_upright = 1.3 | caption = Kaftan's debut as GMD in Graz with Schönberg's ''Gurre-Lieder'' in 2013 | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1971}} | birth_place = Marburg, Hesse, Germany | death_date = | death_place = | education = Hochschule für Musik Detmold | occupation = Conductor | organizations = {{plainlist| * Theater Augsburg * Graz Opera }} }}

'''Dirk Kaftan''' (born 1971) is a German opera and concert conductor.

== Career == Born in Marburg, West Germany, Kaftan grew up in Wittlich and Canada. At the age of 18 he began employment as a repetiteur at the Theater Trier. Kaftan then studied sound engineering (''Tonmeister'') at the Hochschule für Musik Detmold.

Kaftan was ''Erster Kapellmeister'' at the Graz Opera from 2006 to 2009. From 2009 to 2014 he was Generalmusikdirektor (GMD) in Augsburg. His contract with the Theater Augsburg was to have run till 2016; however he vacated the Augsburg post early to return to Graz Opera as their GMD.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/augsburg/Dirk-Kaftan-Der-Generalmusikdirektor-geht-nach-Graz-id24081896.html | title=Dirk Kaftan: Der Generalmusikdirektor geht nach Graz | work=Augsburger Allegemeine | first=Ute | last=Krogull | date=15 February 2013 | access-date=10 July 2017}}</ref> His debut in June 2013 was a performance of Schönberg's ''Gurre-Lieder'' with soloists, the expanded opera chorus, the Wiener Singverein and the Grazer Philharmonisches Orchester.<ref name="KZ" /><ref name="TT" /> Kaftan was GMD of Graz Opera from 2013 to 2017.<ref name="ORF" /> In Graz, his repertoire included Wagner's ''Tristan und Isolde'', Zemlinsky's ''Der Zwerg'', Dallapiccola's ''Der Gefangene'' and Bernstein's ''West Side Story'', among others. In concert he conducted the oratorio ''Columbus'' by Heinrich von Herzogenberg.<ref name="Graz" /> In 2015 Kaftan was awarded the ''Karl Böhm Interpretationspreis'' by the Styrian state government for his work in developing the Grazer Philharmonisches Orchester.<ref name="Steiermark" />

Kaftan's operatic repertoire has also included Wagner's ''Der fliegende Holländer'', ''Lohengrin'', ''Tannhäuser'' and ''Die Walküre''; Verdi's ''Rigoletto'', ''La Traviata'', ''Aida'' and ''Don Carlos''; Tchaikovsky's ''Eugen Onegin''; ''Arabella'' by Richard Strauss; and Stravinsky's ballet ''Le sacre du printemps''.<ref name="Althoff" />

In February 2016, Kaftan was named as the next GMD of the city of Bonn, including the directorship of the Beethoven Orchester Bonn, effective August 2017 with an initial contract of five years.<ref name="Bonn" /> In September 2020, the city of Bonn announced the extension of Kaftan's contract as GMD through 2027.<ref>Bundestadt Bonn, "Dirk Kaftan bleibt bis 2027 Generalmusikdirektor des Beethoven-Orchesters Bonn", 9 September 2020.</ref> In September 2025, the city of Bonn announced the approval of the most recent extension of Kaftan's contract as GMD, through 31 July 2032.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.bonn.de/pressemitteilungen/september/rat-beschliesst-vertragsverlaengerung-mit-generalmusikdirektor-dirk-kaftan.php | title=Rat beschließt Vertragsverlängerung mit Generalmusikdirektor Dirk Kaftan | publisher=Stadt Bonn | date=9 September 2025 | access-date=2025-09-10}}</ref>

== Recordings == Kaftan's recordings include the operas ''Der ferne Klang'' by Franz Schreker, recorded live in Augsburg in 2011,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/augsburg/Der-ferne-Klang-rueckt-nah-heran-id15916951.html | title=''Der ferne Klang'' rückt nah heran | work=Augsburger Allegemeine | first=Stefan | last=Dosch | date=12 July 2011 | access-date=10 July 2017}}</ref> and ''Jenůfa'' by Leoš Janáček, recorded during staged performances in Graz in 2015.<ref name="AllMusic" /><ref name="Operanews" />

== References == {{Reflist|30em | refs =

<ref name="Althoff">{{cite web | last = Althoff | first = Bernward | url = http://www.rundschau-online.de/region/bonn/generalmusikdirektor-dirk-kaftan-in-erwartung-des-neuen-musikchefs-23552604 | title = Generalmusikdirektor Dirk Kaftan / In Erwartung des neuen Musikchefs | publisher = Bonner Rundschau | date = 12 February 2016 | language = de | access-date = 8 February 2017 }}</ref>

<ref name="AllMusic">{{cite news | url = http://www.allmusic.com/artist/dirk-kaftan-mn0002745386/discography | title = Dirk Kaftan / Discography | publisher = AllMusic | date = 26 February 2016 | access-date = 10 February 2017 }}</ref>

<ref name="Bonn">{{cite news | url = https://www.bonn.de/tourismus_kultur_sport_freizeit/topthemen/17492/index.html?lang=de | title = Dirk Kaftan soll neuer Generalmusikdirektor werden | publisher = Bonn | date = 26 February 2016 | language = de | access-date = 2 April 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161010160846/https://www.bonn.de/tourismus_kultur_sport_freizeit/topthemen/17492/index.html?lang=de | archive-date = 10 October 2016 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

<ref name="Graz">{{cite web | url = http://www.oper-graz.com/ensemble/dirk-kaftan-1 | title = Dirk Kaftan | publisher = Graz Opera | language = de | access-date = 10 February 2017 }}</ref>

<ref name="KZ">{{cite news | url = http://www.kleinezeitung.at/kultur/4062005/Saisonabschluss-mit-GurreLiedern-in-Grazer-Oper | title = Saisonabschluss mit Gurre-Liedern in Grazer Oper | newspaper = Kleine Zeitung | date = 24 June 2013 | language = de | access-date = 16 February 2017 }}</ref>

<ref name="Operanews">{{cite journal | url=https://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2016/1/Recordings/JANÁCEK__Jenufa.html | last=Braun | first=William R. | title=Janáček: Jenůfa | journal=Opera News | volume=80 | issue=7 | date=January 2016 | access-date=8 July 2017}}</ref>

<ref name="ORF">{{cite news | url = http://steiermark.orf.at/news/stories/2823390/ | title = Oper Graz: Oksana Lyniv wird neue Chefdirigentin | publisher = ORF | date = 2 February 2017 | language = de | access-date = 2 February 2016 }}</ref>

<ref name="Steiermark">{{cite web | url = http://www.kultur.steiermark.at/cms/beitrag/12218614/6537958/ | title = Dirk Kaftan erhält den Karl-Böhm-Interpretationspreis 2015 | publisher = Steiermark | date = 26 February 2016 | language = de | access-date = 3 April 2015 }}</ref>

<ref name="TT">{{cite news | url = http://www.tt.com/home/11710277-91/grazer-chefdirigent-dirk-kaftan-geht-nach-bonn-vertrag-unterzeichnet.csp | title = Grazer Chefdirigent Dirk Kaftan geht nach Bonn: Vertrag unterzeichnet | publisher = Tiroler Tageszeitung | date = 1 July 2016 | language = de | access-date = 15 February 2017 }}</ref>

}}

== External links == * [http://www.dirk-kaftan.de/#portrait Dirk Kaftan] homepage * [https://www.operabase.com/a/Dirk-Kaftan/4272/en Dirk Kaftan, Dirigent / Terminplan] Operabase * [http://www.oper-frankfurt.de/de/ensemble-gaeste-teams/dirigenten/?detail=269 Dirk Kaftan] Frankfurt Opera * [http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2016/1/Recordings/JAN%C3%81CEK__Jenufa.html JANÁČEK: Jenůfa] Operanews * [http://www.musicmasters.ch/main/mainpages/conductors/kaftan/de/bio.php Dirk Kaftan] Music Masters Management * [http://www.cecilia-cmc.de/index.php/155-dirk-kaftan Dirk Kaftan] Cecilia Music Concept

{{s-start}} {{s-culture}} {{succession box | title=Generalmusikdirektor, Theater Augsburg | years=2009&ndash;2014 | before=Rudolf Piehlmayer | after=Domonkos Héja}} {{succession box | title=Generalmusikdirektor, Graz Opera | years=2013&ndash;2017 | before=Johannes Fritzsch | after=Oksana Lyniv}} {{succession box | title=Generalmusikdirektor, Beethoven Orchester Bonn | years=2017&ndash;present | before=Christof Perick | after=incumbent}} {{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaftan, Dirk}} Category:German male conductors (music) Category:Hochschule für Musik Detmold alumni Category:People from Marburg Category:1971 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century German conductors (music) Category:21st-century German male musicians