Edith Mathis  is a Swiss soprano. She studied in Lucerne and debuted there in 1956 in The Magic Flute. Mozart would remain one of her specialties, with her roles including Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Despina in Cosí fan tutte and Pamina in The Magic Flute. Indeed, she recorded the latter role in 1980, opposite Karin Ott and Janet Perry, under Herbert von Karajan. Other roles she sang include Sophie and the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier and Agathe and Aennchen in Der Freischütz.

Edith Mathis also sang in the premières of von Einem's Der Zerissene, Henze's Der junge Lord and Heinrich Sutermeister's Le roi Berénger. She was also a singer of oratorios and Lieder. Her Lieder recordings include Volume 21 of the complete songs of Franz Schubert for Hyperion Records.

Several of her most notable recorded roles in Mozartian opera include Susanna in Le Nozze Di Figaro for the Berlin Staatsoper with Karl Bohm conducting, as well Idamante in Idomeneo with the Staatskapelle Dresden. A re-released recording of Don Giovanni with the Vienna Philharmonic and Karl Bohm from the 1977 Salzburg Festival features her in one of her best-known roles, Zerlina.

Toni Gradsack, Opera Zurich
Toni Gradsack is at present artistic administrator and responsible for casting at the Opernhaus Zurich, Switzerland’s biggest opera company.

Kasper Bech Holten was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. He studied comparative literature and theatre research at the University of Copenhagen and has held the posts of Artistic Director of Aarhus Sommeropera festival (1996-1999), Dramaturg of Aalborg Teater, and was a member of the Danish Music Council between 1995 and 1999.

He has worked as assistant director to David Pountney, John Cox, Robert
Chevara, Harry Kupfer and Klaus Hoffmeyer as well as teaching at the National Theatre Academy, Royal Danish Opera Academy and at the Danish Design School. He is currently Artistic Director of Royal Danish Opera.

Aviel Cahn, born 1974 in Zurich. From 2001 to 2004 he was artistic planning & casting director at the Finnish National Opera in Helsinki. Before he worked with the China National Symphony Orchestra in Beijing and with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra in Zurich as artistic administrator.

From 2004 to 2007 he was the director of the Theatre Bern. Afterwards he was the manager of the Chamber Orchestra Zurich ZkO, until he gets appointet as the director of the Vlaamse Opera Antwerpen/Gent Belgium

Marc Adam, Director Opera Bern
Born in Strassburg. Degree at “Institut National Superieur des Arts du Spectacle” .He worket as a producer in France, Germany, England, Italy, Australia and in Switzerland. Main productions: “Le Nozze di Figaro”, “Der Freischütz”, “Pelleas er Melisande”, “Don Carlos”, “Ariadne auf Naxos”, “Cendrillon” in London. “La Sonnambula” at the Opera Comique Paris and Manfred Gurlitt’s “Wozzek” at the Theatre des Arts de Rouen and at the Theatre Regio Turin. For witch he receives 1997 the Grand Prix de la Critique. 1986 to 1990 art director of the french theatre “Perspectives” festival in Saarbrücken. From 1990 to 1998 director of the Theatre des Arts Rouen/Opera de Normandie. 2000 to 2007 director Theatre Lübeck. Since the season 2007/2008 director Theatre Bern.

Hans Peter Blochwitz is one of the most outstanding german tenor. His Opera and concert performances for example in Vienna, London, New Your, Mailand, Salzburg or Paris, with conductors like Abbado, Gardier, Harnoncourt, Levine, Masur and Solti, have shown his artistic foibles. His extensive resume contain several, international awardet Opera-, Concert- and Songrecords.

He teach master education since several years and since the year 2000 he is a professor at the College of Art in Bern.

The conductor Roman Brogli-Sacher was born in Switzerland. Since 1996 he is a permanent guest conductor for Opera and Concerts at the Theather Massimo in Palermo. He conductet there for example Gustav Mahler’s 2nd symphony , “Der Rosenkavalier” directed by Pierluigi Pizzi and “Der Tannhäuser” directed by Werner Herzog.

Also since 1996 Roman Brogli-Sacher permanent conduct the National Symphonie Orchestra San Paolo in Brasil. From 1997 until 2001 was Roman Brogli-Sacher direcdtor of music and representativ of the GMD at the Opera Halle. Since the season 2001/2002, Roman Brogli-Sacher is the music director at the Theatre Lübeck

Dominique Mentha, Director Theater Lucerne
Dominique Mentha was born in Switzerland and made himself a reputation as a singer, director and theatre director. Activ performances in the german speaking countries and in France. Foundet 1982 the Berner Opera Troupe. 1983 director in Bremen, 1987 in Würzburg, 1989 to 1991 in Munster, 1992 to 2003 director of the Opera Vienna. Since the season 2004/2005, Mentha is the director of the Theatre Lucerne, where he earns great success.

Stephan Moesch Editorship „Opernwelt“-Magazin Berlin
Stephan Mösch have had a university education in music and literature at the TU Berlin. Singing classes in Berlin and Stuttgart. Prizewinner at the Domgraf-Fassbinder-Competition and the German Music Competition. Since 1990 broadcast for the radio station of the ARD. Since 1994 editor of “Opernwelt”-Magazin and writer at the FAZ feature. Today he is the main editor of “Opernwelt”-Magazin.

Please inform you about the jury in the year 2006