Artistic Team
Conductor: David Björkman
David Björkman is a prominent Nordic conductor, born in Skellefteå in 1973. He studied the violin at the University of Gothenburg. Before transitioning to conducting in 1999, he worked as a violinist in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and served as concertmaster at Norrlandsoperan. He pursued conducting studies for five years at the Royal College of Music under the world-renowned professor Jorma Panula. Additionally, he took private lessons from Esa-Pekka Salonen and maestro Sixten Ehrling in New York. As the chief conductor of Livgardets Dragonmusikkår (2016-20), he recorded several significant Swedish works. David has dedicated a substantial part of his career to contemporary classical music, overseeing nearly fifty premieres, including orchestral pieces, ballets, and music dramas. Among the latter are world premieres by composers like Sven-David Sandström, Paula af Malmborg Ward, Daniel Nelson, Ming Tsao, Marie Samuelsson, Johan Ullén, and Moto Osada.
Director: Clara Svärd
Clara Svärd is a director, choreographer, and movement educator working in opera since the early 2000s. She studied choreography at Roehampton University in London and physical theater training for opera singers with Willy Verkuil at the Dutch Opera Academy. In recent years, she has directed Telemann's Orpheus (2019) and Il colore fa la regina (2022) for Vadstena-Akademien, Det Stora Oväsendet (2022) for Malmö Opera, Ceciliavesper for Confidencen Opera & Music Festival (2022), and Mytomania by Paula af Malmborg Ward for Göteborgsoperan in October of the previous year. During the current season, she also directs La Liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina by Francesca Caccini for Den Andra Operan. As a choreographer in opera, she has primarily worked with directors Elisabeth Linton (including at Göteborgsoperan, Den Jyske Opera, and Det Kongelige Teater in Copenhagen) and Nils Spangenberg (at Vadstena-Akademien). Clara teaches opera students in movement training at institutions such as Stockholm Operastudio (formerly Operastudio 67) and Operahögskolan in Stockholm. She has directed numerous student productions and scenic choral works.
Set & Costume Designer: Marika Feinsilber
Educated at Stockholm University, Central School of Art and Design in London, D.I. in Stockholm, and V.S.M.U. in Bratislava, Marika has since created set designs and costumes for over a hundred productions. While she has primarily worked in theater, she has also been involved in dance and opera, with recurring assignments at Dramaten, Uppsala Stadsteater, Östgötateatern, Göteborgs Stadsteater, and Vadstena-Akademien. Her most recent production was Mytomania at GöteborgsOperan in 2023, directed by Clara Svärd.
Lighting Designer: Anna Wemmert Clausen
Anna is a freelance lighting designer specializing in theater, opera, musicals, and dance, with over 130 productions to her name, often with music as the central element of the work. She received her education at DI in Stockholm and is based in Gothenburg with assignments throughout the country. At Norrlandsoperan, Anna has previously designed the lighting for the musical Passion. In collaboration with Clara Svärd and Marika Feinsilber, Anna designed the lighting for Mytomania at GöteborgsOperan in 2023 and Orpheus at VadstenaAkademien. This spring, Anna's lighting can also be seen on tour with Riksteatern&Arthem's production Nomad.
David Björkman is a prominent Nordic conductor, born in Skellefteå in 1973. He studied the violin at the University of Gothenburg. Before transitioning to conducting in 1999, he worked as a violinist in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and served as concertmaster at Norrlandsoperan. He pursued conducting studies for five years at the Royal College of Music under the world-renowned professor Jorma Panula. Additionally, he took private lessons from Esa-Pekka Salonen and maestro Sixten Ehrling in New York. As the chief conductor of Livgardets Dragonmusikkår (2016-20), he recorded several significant Swedish works. David has dedicated a substantial part of his career to contemporary classical music, overseeing nearly fifty premieres, including orchestral pieces, ballets, and music dramas. Among the latter are world premieres by composers like Sven-David Sandström, Paula af Malmborg Ward, Daniel Nelson, Ming Tsao, Marie Samuelsson, Johan Ullén, and Moto Osada.
Director: Clara Svärd
Clara Svärd is a director, choreographer, and movement educator working in opera since the early 2000s. She studied choreography at Roehampton University in London and physical theater training for opera singers with Willy Verkuil at the Dutch Opera Academy. In recent years, she has directed Telemann's Orpheus (2019) and Il colore fa la regina (2022) for Vadstena-Akademien, Det Stora Oväsendet (2022) for Malmö Opera, Ceciliavesper for Confidencen Opera & Music Festival (2022), and Mytomania by Paula af Malmborg Ward for Göteborgsoperan in October of the previous year. During the current season, she also directs La Liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina by Francesca Caccini for Den Andra Operan. As a choreographer in opera, she has primarily worked with directors Elisabeth Linton (including at Göteborgsoperan, Den Jyske Opera, and Det Kongelige Teater in Copenhagen) and Nils Spangenberg (at Vadstena-Akademien). Clara teaches opera students in movement training at institutions such as Stockholm Operastudio (formerly Operastudio 67) and Operahögskolan in Stockholm. She has directed numerous student productions and scenic choral works.
Set & Costume Designer: Marika Feinsilber
Educated at Stockholm University, Central School of Art and Design in London, D.I. in Stockholm, and V.S.M.U. in Bratislava, Marika has since created set designs and costumes for over a hundred productions. While she has primarily worked in theater, she has also been involved in dance and opera, with recurring assignments at Dramaten, Uppsala Stadsteater, Östgötateatern, Göteborgs Stadsteater, and Vadstena-Akademien. Her most recent production was Mytomania at GöteborgsOperan in 2023, directed by Clara Svärd.
Lighting Designer: Anna Wemmert Clausen
Anna is a freelance lighting designer specializing in theater, opera, musicals, and dance, with over 130 productions to her name, often with music as the central element of the work. She received her education at DI in Stockholm and is based in Gothenburg with assignments throughout the country. At Norrlandsoperan, Anna has previously designed the lighting for the musical Passion. In collaboration with Clara Svärd and Marika Feinsilber, Anna designed the lighting for Mytomania at GöteborgsOperan in 2023 and Orpheus at VadstenaAkademien. This spring, Anna's lighting can also be seen on tour with Riksteatern&Arthem's production Nomad.
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