HarrisonParrott is delighted to announce that conductor Killian Farrell has been appointed General Music Director of Staatstheater Nürnberg in Bavaria, Germany, from the 2027/28 season. As principal conductor of the Staatsphilharmonie Nürnberg, he will guide them through the relocation to their new venue — the Kongresshalle in Nuremberg, formerly the Nazi Party’s rally ground – planned for 2028.

Artistic Director Jens-Daniel Herzog looks forward to working with Killian Farrell as General Music Director: ​“Killian Farrell is a musician whose passion and knowledge of music are absolutely infectious. With his boundless energy, he will lead the Nuremberg Staatsphilharmonie into the Kongresshalle — and into a new chapter in its history.” 

Mayor of Nuremberg Marcus König emphasises: ​“Killian Farrell, as the new General Music Director, will shape us during a pivotal phase. The move to the new venue in the Kongresshalle opens up fresh opportunities, new perspectives, and a broader audience. I’m excited about the new impulses this will bring and confident that the people of Nuremberg will — just as they always have — welcome the new GMD with warmth, openness, and curiosity.”

Prof. Dr. Julia Lehner, Deputy Mayor of Nuremberg for Cultural Affairs, adds: ​“With Killian Farrell, Staatstheater Nürnberg is gaining an outstanding musician and conductor, already acclaimed nationally and internationally for his artistic precision, expressive depth, and musical curiosity. I look forward to the contributions he will make to our city and cultural landscape starting in the 2027/28 season.”

Bavaria’s Minister of Arts, Markus Blume, agrees: ​“A new musical era is dawning […] [Farrell’s] close ties to Europe’s leading opera houses and his openness to fresh ideas make him the ideal artistic partner for our Franconian metropolis. […]”

Farrell also shares his excitement about his upcoming role and his collaboration with the musicians of the Staatsphilharmonie: ​“It is both an honour and a responsibility to take over this orchestra with its great tradition. From my very first encounter with them, I sensed a warmth, curiosity, and incredible enthusiasm — qualities that will shine even more in the new venue […] where we’ll have first-class conditions to further elevate the city’s musical and concert life. I was deeply impressed by the atmosphere in the house and the inspiring conversations I had with Artistic Director and Opera Director Jens-Daniel Herzog. I’m also genuinely enthusiastic about Nuremberg itself — a city with a complex history that today embraces a vibrant, pluralistic openness. I can’t wait to work with the Staatsphilharmonie and the ensembles of the Staatstheater to captivate our Nuremberg audiences night after night.”

Farrell has been General Music Director at Staatstheater Meiningen, Germany, since the 2023/24 season. He is a regular guest conductor at many major German opera houses, including the Semperoper Dresden, Staatsoper Hamburg, and Deutsche Oper am Rhein. He maintains a particularly close relationship with the Staatsoper Stuttgart, where he served as Kapellmeister and continues to appear frequently as a guest. Prior to that, he was First Kapellmeister at Theater Bremen from the 2019/20 season, having worked there since 2017 as Kapellmeister and assistant to the General Music Director. As a symphonic conductor, Farrell is also in demand worldwide. He has recently conducted the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra and Deutsche Radiophilharmonie Saarbrücken and also enjoys strong relationships with all the major orchestras in his native Ireland.