State Theater: Neil Barry Moss remains Artistic Director until August 2029

The contract of the current artistic director of the State Theater, Neil Barry Moss, has been extended by two years. This decision was made by the theater committee in its most recent meeting. Moss has been the artistic director of the State Theater Coburg since September 1, 2024. His contract was originally set for three years. To set the course for the future in a timely manner, the position would have had to be re-advertised or Moss's contract extended this year. In its April meeting, the responsible theater committee decided to extend the existing contract.

Neil Barry Moss thanked the theater committee for their trust. "I am very pleased with the trust and look forward to continuing on the chosen path – with a theater that touches, entertains, and makes people think. A house that makes us proud and in which both Coburg residents and guests can find themselves," said Moss. Mayor Dominik Sauerteig wishes Moss much success for the extended term: "The theater committee's decision gives us planning security with a view to the anniversary year 2027 and beyond. I hope for a continued diverse, exciting program and very good occupancy of the Globe and other venues." With his productions of "Il trittico," "The Flying Dutchman," and the musical "Chicago," Neil Barry Moss has set accents this season. In his role as artistic director, he has also successfully advanced the overall artistic and structural development of the house – from the conception of the program to the profiling of the ensemble to the strategic orientation of the State Theater – which he intends to further expand in the coming years. Additionally, he has established the theater ball, taking place on May 24, which opens the GLOBE as a place of communal celebration for everyone.

Neil Barry Moss was born in South Africa and studied opera, music, and theater studies in Cape Town. In 2015, he graduated in directing and dramaturgy in Verona, Italy. That same year, he made his debut as a director with "The Marriage of Figaro" at the Teatro Rossini in Pesaro. From 2016 to 2019, he was engaged as an assistant director, director, and costume designer at the State Opera Hannover. In June 2018, Moss won second prize at the 10th European Opera Directing Prize (EOP) in Zurich. From 2019 to 2023, he was a stage manager at the Deutsche Oper Berlin and made his house debut there in 2020 with the award-winning and highly acclaimed production "Das Rheingold auf dem Parkdeck." In 2022, he directed the successful production "Faust's Damnation" by Hector Berlioz at the Coburg Morizkirche for the State Theater Coburg. For the 2023/24 season, he became the opera director and part of the directorate at the State Theater Coburg, where he was able to open the GLOBE COBURG in October 2023, which received nationwide attention. Here, he directed the operas "Macbeth" by Giuseppe Verdi and "Hansel and Gretel" by Engelbert Humperdinck, for which he also designed the costumes. He understands the theater as a space of new experiences, encounters, and lively dialogue that should invite everyone and help shape society. As a stage and costume designer, he works with grand illusions, vibrant accents, and humorous details. Even as part of the directorate, interaction and exchange with the local people have been his top priority.