Meet the people
Our well known faculty aims to provide young opera singers and collaborative pianists with essential resources sharpen their artistic profile to perform competently, confidently and, above all, with joy and a sense of fulfillment in an ever so challenging artistic environment. Meet some of the wonderful people who were and are part of the OPE(R)Nlabor:
Stefanie C. Braun
Stefanie C. Braun combines a career as a soprano with extensive experience in cultural leadership, coaching, and artistic development.
With an international career on major opera stages such as Washington National Opera, Zurich Opera House, Salzburg Landestheater, and the Bavarian State Opera, she brings deep first-hand experience of the profession to everything she does. Alongside her singing career, she has developed a strong profile in cultural development, mentoring, and coaching.
Her work is driven by the belief that artistic excellence is only the beginning — young artists also need resilience, self-awareness, and entrepreneurial thinking to thrive in today’s music world.
As the initiator of OPE(R)NLabor, she creates a space where emerging singers and pianists can strengthen their artistic profile through vocal coaching, body work, mental training, and individual guidance. Her focus is on helping young talents develop into confident, authentic, and versatile 21st-century artists. www.stefaniecbraun.com
Noam Holdengreber
Noam Holdengreber is a visual artist and certified Feldenkrais teacher. The profound connection between creative work and body awareness has deeply influenced him, becoming a core element of his teaching and artistry.
Through his intuition, profound insight, and extensive experience in both the creative process and performance—combined with an understanding of the interplay between body and soul—he accesses deep layers of personal experience.
Since completing his studies in Israel, Noam has offered individual lessons and led creative workshops for singers, choirs, conductors, instrumentalists, and actors. He teaches at Tel Aviv University and regularly conducts workshops at the Jerusalem Academy of Music, the Hochschule für Musik Saar in Saarbrücken, and since 2016 at Künstlerhaus Boswil.
Noam trained in Israel, where he completed his studies ,works with performers - coaching individual lessons as well as creating workshops for various groups among them: singers, choirs, conductors, instrumentalists and actors. https://www.feldenoam.com
Anne Hinrichsen
Anne Hinrichsen has served as Kapellmeisterin and Studienleiterin at Theater Bielefeld since 2020. After studying piano, her career path took her through the Orchestra Academy of the Zurich Opera House, long-term roles as choir director, orchestral pianist, repetiteur, and lecturer in chamber music/repetiteur training at the ZHdK Precollege, and part-time contracts at the Bern Opera, ultimately leading her fully to the theater world.
She approaches her diverse responsibilities as conductor, pianist, communicator, and organizer with great dedication, always seeking the greatest potential for development and artistic expression. Anne holds a special passion for children’s and youth projects. In recent seasons, she has held the musical direction for productions including Dunkel ist die Nacht, Rigoletto and Dvořák’s Rusalka. In the 22/23 season, she opened the program with the music theater premiere Berlin Alexanderplatz (world premiere, directed by Vivan & Ketan Bhatti).
www.annehinrichsen.com
Marina Berini
Marina Berini has been fascinated since youth by the quality of human encounters and the multifaceted design of relationships.
As a systemic counselor, trainer in resilience and nonviolent communication, and lecturer in the school subject “Happiness,” her goal is to guide and empower people of all genders, cultures, life experiences, professions, and contexts. She helps them meet themselves and others with respect and appreciation, while engaging prosperously in partnership-based life design.
www.berini.info
Florian Krum
Balmer & Dixon Management AG was founded in April 1980 in Zurich and exists for more than 46 years already.
The core business with a focus on singers is now in the hands of Florian Krumm:
"Over the past 15 years, I have been experiencing that pure voice-owners inspire a lot, but only for a short time. For a long-lasting career you need personality, charisma (the ability to convey feelings) next to a stable technique. You also need to have "the right brain" for this demanding profession as well; especially in these challenging times now...!
To back and support our artists in an advisory capacity and to open new doors for them or regenerate invitations remains an exciting challenge to me; day by day."
Artists such as Gösta Winbergh, Robert Gambill, Gilles Cachemaille, Luba Orgonasova, Angela Denoke, Íride Martínez, Steve Davislim, Horst Stein, Pinchas Steinberg or Miguel Gomez-Martínez, Bo Skovhus, Dimitry Ivashchenko, Michael Kupfer-Radecky, Claude Eichenberger, Torben Jürgens, or Alexander Schulin are associated with Badix for many years.
Some artists have trusted us for more than 35 years already; an absolute exception these days. https://www.badix.ch/
Annette Weber-Hussain
With around 30 years of experience in opera, Name combines artistic expertise as a stage director and casting director with in-depth knowledge of opera management.
As a jury member in singing competitions, Name has gained valuable insights into the artistic development of young talents.
Name supports young singers with a focus on authenticity, the joy of storytelling, and self-confident performance.
The aim is to preserve opera as a living art form—through singers who embrace their profession with passion and joy. www.operart-coaching.com
Volker Vogel
Born in Karlsruhe and trained in singing at the Hochschule Hannover, he began his career as a directing assistant at the Niedersächsisches Staatstheater Hannover. He went on to work as an assistant director, stage director, singer, and actor in Hildesheim, before establishing himself as a tenor buffo in Dortmund, Freiburg, at the Vienna Volksoper, and from the 1991/92 season onward in Zurich. He also appeared at major houses including the Opéra Bastille, La Scala, the Vienna State Opera, and the Salzburg Festival.
Since 2002, he has focused increasingly on directing, especially operetta, with productions in Ulm, Bad Ischl, Vienna, and throughout Switzerland. From 2010 to 2015, he served as Oberspielleiter at the Musikalische Komödie Leipzig, where he staged numerous productions including Die Fledermaus, Die lustige Witwe, Der Opernball, and Im weißen Rössl. More recently, he has continued to appear both as director and performer in Leipzig and beyond.https://www.linkedin.com/in/volker-vogel-883358100/
Corinna Jarosch
Corinna Jarosch is currently a member of the opera management team and managing dramaturg for music theatre, concert, and ballet at Staatstheater Cottbus. Before that, she worked as a dramaturg at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, and from 2018 to 2021 she served as opera director and chief dramaturg at the Meininger Staatstheater.
Born in Salzburg, the stage director and dramaturg lived and worked in Berlin for many years. Her career has also taken her to Italy, Vienna, Hamburg, Hanover, Koblenz, Görlitz, and Switzerland.
Her work brings together music theatre and spoken theatre in an engaging way, with a cross-disciplinary approach and a strong interest in direct contact with audiences. In addition to her work in theatres and leadership roles, she has gained experience in PR, music journalism, moderation, and tourism, always balancing art and entertainment, audience proximity, and staff leadership. https://www.corinna-jarosch.com/
Walter Küng
WitWalter Küng, born in 1952, works as an actor and director, moving between established theatres and the independent scene in the German-speaking world while also initiating larger projects of his own. He trained with Ellen Widmann in Zurich and at the Reinhardt Seminar in Vienna, and went on to work at the Stadttheater Bern, Claque Baden, Theater Basel, and in numerous productions in Switzerland, Austria, and Germany.
His work includes major stage productions such as Nachtgespräch mit Fidel at Schauspielhaus Zürich, Arbeit macht frei with the Akko Theater Center Israel, Der Bau by Franz Kafka, and Hotel offen, which reached a wide audience in Baden. Since 2009, he has worked regularly with Hansgünther Heyme at the Pfalztheater in Ludwigshafen, and he has also appeared at the Saarländisches Staatstheater, the Konzert Theater Bern, and in current productions such as Lokalbericht, Das Märchen vom letzten Gedanken, and Revolution in der Schweiz.
He was also artistic director of the prestigious Wilhelmina Fest der Künste in Hallwyl. Alongside his stage work, he has appeared in many films and has worked for several years as a lecturer in acting at the Zurich University of the Arts. http://walterkueng.ch/
Rahel Sohn
Rahel Sohn’s work centers on keyboard accompaniment for soloists, choirs and concerts.
Lied accompaniment is one of her great passions. She regularly performs with singers, works in chamber music settings with strings, and increasingly also plays orchestral piano parts. Since 2004, she has worked as a vocal and choral accompanist at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), where she has collaborated with the vocal classes of Christoph Prégardien, Scot Weir, Martina Jankova, and Caroline Melzer.
She is especially interested in cross-disciplinary concerts, whether with singers, choirs, in the theatre, or as accompaniment for readings as well as for example an evening with a dancer and a slam poet.
A particular focus of her work is chanson. Together with her sister Noëmi Sohn, she has performed two Paul Burkhard programmes many times.
For several years, she has also regularly performed with the Philharmonia Zurich as an extra musician, including children’s concerts, where she has also been involved in their development, as well as workshops at the Zurich Opera House. https://rahelsohn.ch
Matthew Walley
With a unique journey that began in the world of performing arts—headlining Broadway and gracing the stage at Carnegie Hall—Matthew brings a rare blend of creativity, presence, and emotional intelligence to his coaching.
After a successful leadership career as Team Leader/CEO for Keller Williams Realty, Matthew transitioned his passion for people development into a purpose-driven coaching practice. Certified in mindset coaching and deeply informed by Applied Positive Psychology, he specializes in guiding clients to reframe challenges, step into growth, and lead with clarity and confidence. Whether working with individuals or leadership teams, Matthew’s approach helps clients connect mindset with meaningful results.
Matthew Walley is the visionary force behind Inside Outlooks Coaching, where he helps individuals and organizations unlock lasting breakthroughs through mindset coaching and business strategy.
Specialties: Mindset Coaching & Goal Setting, Leadership Development & Team Empowerment, Overcoming Limiting Beliefs, Public Speaking & Communication Strategies, Creative Problem Solving & Collaboration, Certified Mindset Coach.
https://www.insideoutlooks.com/
Jeanette Rosenberger
Jeannette Rosenberger is a complementary health practitioner based in Zurich, Switzerland, specializing in holistic process support. With a deep commitment to supporting people in their physical, mental, and emotional well-being, she offers an approach that sees the person as a whole.
Her work is rooted in experience, intuition, and a strong understanding of individual needs.
A key part of her work is her Holistic Flow Empowerment Program, which is designed to support personal development, inner balance, and sustainable transformation. Through this program, she helps clients reconnect with their own resources, strengthen resilience, and move forward with greater clarity and confidence.
She creates a supportive space for personal development, inner balance, and sustainable change, guiding her clients with empathy and care through their individual processes. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeannette-rosenberger-8490a47a/
Caroline Harth
Caroline Harth is an expert in leadership storytelling. Her multidimensional, non-linear career as a lawyer and storyteller led her to her calling as a Story Advocate.
Today, she supports leaders across industries as well as aspiring leaders in shaping their personal leadership story, helping them lead with greater clarity and impact.
Through Own Your Story, she has developed a system that combines strategic, non-linear thinking with creative clarity. It helps people recognize patterns, identify the common thread in their story, and understand their individual leadership style, enabling them to position themselves with confidence in the diverse world of leadership.
In times of changing roles and career transformation, the personal story remains central.
With a sharp eye for connections, attention to detail, and the ability to focus deeply, she develops slow-positioning strategies that create stability and support authentic leadership.
Caroline Harth also bridges la dolce vita and German precision with ease, ideally with an espresso in hand. https://www.carolineharth.com/
Louis Chanson
Artist Manager Louis Chanson joined Artist Management Zürich in 2018 after completing his studies in Music and Art History and working in project management at Opernhaus Zürich. He represents the new generation of artist managers.
"We believe that career management is a work of passion, carefully tailored to the uniqueness of our talented."
Artists Management Zürich was founded by Rita Schütz in 1981 under the name of "Künstlersekretariat Rita Schütz" with three artists: Agnes Baltsa, Francisco Araiza and José van Dam.
Rita Schütz, a leading figure in the opera world who spent seven years working in the Opernhaus Zürich's artistic administration, expanded the agency and founded "Columbia Artists Management Zürich" with Robert Wilford, the CEO of the mighty "Columbia Artists Management New York", who was looking for a European basis at the time. The partnership was dissolved amicably after sevens years in 1988.
Artists Management Zürich now manage all of their artists exclusively worldwide.
Kathrin Lüthi
Katrin Lüthi founded Patronus Sportmentalcoaching out of a deep passion for sport and personal growth. With solid training in sport mental coaching and many years of experience as a coach, she brings a unique combination of expertise and empathy to her work.
Her journey began with the desire to help athletes overcome mental barriers and unlock their full potential.
Through numerous successful coaching sessions and workshops, Katrin has learned that each person’s needs are individual.
That is why she places great value on personalized approaches tailored to her clients’ specific goals and challenges. Her commitment and dedication make her an outstanding guide for anyone looking to develop mental strength in sport. https://www.patronuscoach.ch