Faculty & staff
lochlan brown
Artistic Director & Chief Conductor
Australian conductor, pianist and composer Lochlan Brown brings a wide range of international experience to his role as Artistic Director of the Netherlands Lyric Opera Festival. He has worked at major companies such as Dutch National Opera, Lithuanian National Opera, Nederlandse Reisopera, West Australian Opera and Teatro dell’Opera di Roma. His conducting work spans world premieres, new productions and repertory titles, most recently conducting Second Love (Nederlandse Reisopera), which won Opera of the Year 2025 awarded by Place de l'Opera. Trained in Australia, the United States and Italy, he has built a reputation for stylistic flexibility, curiosity and a collaborative approach to making music.
Alongside his conducting career, Lochlan is known for his strong commitment to vocal coaching and artistic development. His early background as a répétiteur and his work with singers across many styles allow him to support young artists with a clear, practical approach. He is interested in the balance between solid technique, imaginative interpretation and genuine dramatic communication. His coaching style aims to give singers confidence in their skills while encouraging curiosity and personal expression.
As Artistic Director of the Netherlands Lyric Opera Festival, Lochlan is dedicated to creating a space where emerging artists can challenge themselves, work closely with professionals and gain a real understanding of the world they are stepping into. He believes that opera thrives when it welcomes innovation, curiosity and artists who bring their own unique voice into the performance space.
Stage Director & Head of Opera
Royal Opera House (Covent Garden), Royal Danish Opera, Staatstheater Darmstadt, Mascarade Opera Firenze
Federico Santi
Conductor
Opéra Grand Avignon, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Conservatory of Maastricht
Justas ÄŒeponis
Vocal Coach
Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet
​Joep Hupperetz
Dramaturg
Opera Zuid
Director of Vocal Studies
Mannes, Florida Grand Opera, Rice University, Dutch National Opera, Opera Zuid, Palm Beach Opera
Josef Fuchs
Career Coach​
Nederlandse Reisopera (Casting Director), Ada Sari, Belvedere, IVC, formerly Sono Artists
Philip Mayers
Vocal Coach
Berliner Kammeroper, Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin
TBC
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Waut Koeken
Artistic Adviser
Intendant (General Manager) of Opera Zuid
Enrico Delamboye
Conductor
WDR Radio Orchestra Cologne, Oper Köln, Theater Koblenz, Theater Basel
Jan-Paul Grijpink
Vocal Coach
Dutch National Opera
Agents & panel guests
As part of the 2025 festival, participants had the opportunity to take part in audition days and receive individual feedback from the following guests:
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> Sam Snook (Head of European Division) – IMG Artist Management
> Derek Chandruang – IMG Artist Management
> Réda Sidi-Boumedine - RSB Artists, President of the European Association of Artists' Agents (AEAA) and also member of the French Association of Artists' Agents (AFAA)
> Robert Jan Haitink (Artist Manager) - K und K Wien
> Michael Pegher - OperaScout
> Josef Fuchs (Casting Director) - Nederlandse Reisopera
> Waut Koeken (Artistic and General Manager) - Opera Zuid