What classes will be offered at ASOT 2025, and who are the coaches?
Bruno Klimek
Masterclass „Fundamentals and application of scenic work in practice“ / 17.-22.7.25
Bruno Klimek is a German drama and opera director, stage designer, writer, visual artist and university lecturer. From 2006 to 2023 he was Professor of Scenic Training in the Singing/Music Theater program at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen. Since 2011 he has been Dean of the Performing Arts Department, which includes the acting, dance, singing/music theater, musical, physical theater and directing programs. In 2016 he was the winner of the Austrian Music Theater Prize in the “Best Direction” category.
His career spans four decades of international theatre work. During this time, Bruno Klimek has risen to become one of the most renowned German stage directors. Starting with his own theater company, through the adminstration at the National Theater Mannheim and then the training of young singers, special attention is paid to intensive engagement with the psychology of role design. Therefore, his expertise is a great enrichment for every young singer in the field of musical theater and a further step towards artistic excellence.
Timo Niermann
Workshop „Collaborating backstage“ / 17.-22.7.25
Timo Niermann is an Austrian stage manager whose expertise as a team leader for stage shows of various art forms is valued in over 50 countries. From his own artistic work, the expert in theatre science and technical theatre recognized the need for practical interaction between leading teams and performers, and he thus made this his mission. His publications on this topic are highly regarded, which is why he was invited to pass on his knowledge as a lecturer at the Vienna Institute for Theatre, Film and Media Studies.
International cultural institutions are inspired by his ideas. Partners from recent years include the Royal Albert Hall London, the Vienna State Opera, Stadsshouwburg Amsterdam, the Salzburg Festival, Dubai World Cup and the Mandalay Bay Las Vegas. The diversity of his field of activity is a great enrichment for young singers, because experiencing how the common goal of the performance can be achieved despite different backgrounds of experience is one of the cornerstones of a sustainable and universally appreciated artistic career.
Brenda Rein
Vocal Coaching / 17.-25.7.25
Brenda Rein is one of the world’s most experienced coaches in the field of musical rehearsal and stylistic implementation. Born in South Africa, Brenda Rein has worked with the world’s largest opera houses over the course of her career, including the Royal Opera London, The Metropolitan Opera in New York, La Scala di Milano, the Bayreuth and Salzburg Festivals and many more.
After Brenda Rein began her career as head vocal coach in Pretoria and Cape Town, her path as a sought-after coach led her first to Germany, then to international engagements. Her long-term and intensive collaboration with Deon van der Walt and Johan Botha in particular served to enrich her extraordinary knowledge of the demands placed on opera singers, as well as her vast experience in repertoire selection and its consistent musical implementation.
These courses are supplemented by three two-hour workshops:
Why should I create financial security as a freelance artist? (Rui Mercadal Vieira)
Why are agencies partners of the singers and what can I myself contribute ? (Siphiwe McKenzie)
Why should I read my contracts? (Carsten Süss)
