Biography

The German-Greek conductor Panagiotis Papadopoulos has not only acquired a solid repertoire of around 70 music theatre works—which continues to expand—but also initiates innovative concert formats and uses music to support social projects.

In 2022, Panagiotis Papadopoulos was unanimously appointed First Kapellmeister at the Theater Ulm. Here, he immediately impressed with his musical direction of, among others, George Benjamin’s “Lessons in Love and Violence” and the musical “Sister Act” during the Musical Summer at the Wilhelmsburg, which became an audience favorite.

Prior to this current position, he was Kapellmeister and Head of Musical Studies at the Theater für Niedersachsen in Hildesheim (2020–2022). In addition to conducting works such as “Carmen,” “La Traviata,” and “Die Fledermaus,” he was also responsible for the conception and direction of the Bach cantata concert “Trost,” with which he pursued the idea of reconnecting the social bonds fractured during the COVID-19 pandemic through the power of music and enabling encounters. The proceeds from this successful project benefited initiatives for Ukrainian refugees.

He also realized an opera gala in Hildesheim which—rather than the originally planned three performances—ultimately enjoyed six acclaimed shows.

...thus, the hearts and ears of the audience are decidedly opened by Panagiotis Papadopoulos at the podium of the superbly prepared Philharmonic Orchestra of the City of Ulm, [...] musically inspired by Donizetti.

Rüdiger Heinze/Orpheus about “Maria Stuarda” May 2025

His musical direction of Emmerich Kálmán’s “Die Bajadere” during his tenure as First Kapellmeister at the Landestheater Mecklenburg-Strelitz (2017–2019) also received exceptional acclaim—a production that was awarded the “Operettenfrosch”  by the Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation in 2019. It was the first such recognition for the Schlossgarten Neustrelitz Festival in its nearly 20-year history, with the press expressly praising Panagiotis Papadopoulos’ conducting.

In Lübeck, the starting point of his career—as répétiteur with conducting duties and assistant to the General Music Director—he forged a special connection between the theatre and the city’s community. Panagiotis Papadopoulos initiated and established an experimental concert series featuring contemporary music, which attracted tremendous interest and enabled the theatre to secure additional venues throughout the city and reach new audiences: both with his late-night concerts and with his performance of Arnold Schoenberg’s “Pierrot Lunaire” at the Lübeck Kulturwerft. Lübeck’s refugee aid organization took notice of Panagiotis Papadopoulos, giving him the opportunity to perform a benefit concert featuring music by Bach at the renowned St. Mary’s Church in support of refugee solidarity work—an event that generated significant donations.