Dominique Meyer

The son of a diplomat, Dominique Meyer was born in 1955 in the Alsace region of France and spent much of his childhood in Germany. He developed a keen interest in cultural affairs while he was still a student at the Paris School of Economics, and attended the opera, the theater or a concert on a daily basis.

In 1980, he became involved in cultural policy in France. He served in the French Ministry of Industry as a specialist for the electronics and computer industries, and in 1984 he joined the cabinet of the Minister of Culture, Jack Lang, where he was responsible for the film and cultural industries.

Dominique Meyer has been active in the opera world since 1986. After working as an consultant, in 1989 he was named general director of the Opéra National de Paris, which also includes the opera houses Palais Garnier and Opéra Bastille.

Before accepting the position as the general director of the Lausanne Opera in 1994, he returned once more to the field of French cultural policy. He first served as a director in the cabinet of the Ministry of Culture and Communications under Culture Minister Catherine Tasca, then as an advisor in the areas of cultural affairs, communications, youth affairs, education and sports in the cabinets of Prime Minister Edith Cresson and Pierre Bérégovoy.

From 1999 till 2010, Dominique Meyer was the general and artistic director of the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées. Moreover, he also serves as a lecturer in the Professionnel Administration de la musique et du spectacle vivant program at the University of Evry in Paris. From 2010 until end of saison 2019/20 he has been the Director of the Vienna State Opera. Since summer 2021 he is the director of Milan's La Scala. 

In addition to holding numerous other positions and memberships in the fields of dance, music, film and television, he is also an enthusiastic rugby fan.

Dominique Meyer is chairman of the NEUE STIMMEN jury.