Lydia Schubert has served as Administrative Director and Deputy Operations Manager at Oper Leipzig since August 1, 2021. Previously Administrative Director at the Theater der Jungen Welt, she was recommended by a selection panel in a multi-phase selection process from among eleven applicants. The panel was advised in this process by Prof. Ulf Schirmer, the Director and General Music Director of Oper Leipzig at the time, and by Tobias Wolff, the current Director of Oper Leipzig since this 22/23 season. The new Administrative Director's contract is initially fixed for a five-year term.
Lydia Schubert studied business education and business administration in Chemnitz from 1998 to 2006 and initially served as Assistant to the Administrative Director at the five-department Theater Chemnitz. In 2008, she relocated to Leipzig and became Head of Administration at the Theater der Jungen Welt. A year later, she was appointed Administrative Director of this municipally-owned theatre – and remained so for 13 years. Following her appointment as the new Administrative Director at Oper Leipzig in 2021, she expressed her excitement at being able to dive back into the world of operatic music. She grew up with opera and opera singers in her family. Beyond her administrative duties for no less than two heritage venues, Lydia Schubert is active in a variety of volunteer endeavours, including serving as Treasurer on the Board of ASSITEJ e.V. since 2013, as a member in the Task Group for business matters of the Deutscher Bühnenverein (German Stage Association) since 2014, and acting as Co-Chair of the Business Management and Technical Committee of the Deutscher Bühnenverein since October 2022. She has also served as Deputy Chair for the Regional Association of Saxony in the Deutscher Bühnenverein since 2019 and was appointed Senator for Culture by the Prime Minister of the State of Saxony on October 1, 2022. At the Leipzig Opera, Lydia Schubert focuses on sales, digitalisation and workplace culture. Under her leadership, the organisation has successfully completed a ‘berufundfamilie’ audit and developed transparent and fair pay structures in line with the principle of equal pay.
From the 2026/27 season onwards, Lydia Schubert will also serve as Executive Artistic Director of the Leipzig Opera, until Peter Heilker succeeds Tobias Wolff in 2028.