Max Emanuel Cencic, spiritus rector and Artistic Director of the Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival, impresario, stage director and countertenor, owes his outstanding position at the forefront of the international Baroque opera scene to his exceptional versatility and compelling artistic presence.
From 4 to 13 September 2026, Cencic enjoyed great success at the UNESCO World Heritage Margravial Opera House in Bayreuth in the title role of George Frideric Handel’s Floridante. His production, highly praised by the press, was met with standing ovations from the audience at all six performances.
Under the musical direction of Markellos Chryssicos, a distinguished Floridante ensemble featured Sonja Runje as Elmira, Bruno de Sá as Timante, Eva Zalenga as Rossane, Gerrit Illenberger as Oronte and Yannis François as Coralbo. The set was designed by the late Helmut Stürmer and, in accordance with his wishes, completed by costume designer Corina Gramosteanu. Christoph Pöschko (lighting), Dimitra Antonaki (movement assistant) and Constantina Psoma (assistant director) completed the artistic team.
From 28 February to 7 March 2027, Max Emanuel Cencic will appear both in the title role and as stage director of Floridante at the International Handel Festival Karlsruhe. The production is a co-production between the Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival and the International Handel Festival Karlsruhe. While the Wrocław Baroque Orchestra, the festival’s Orchestra in Residence, performed in Bayreuth, the Deutsche Händel-Solisten will take over the orchestral part in Karlsruhe.
Following a series of performances at the Latvian National Opera in Riga in 2025, Cencic’s acclaimed production of Handel’s Flavio, re de’ Longobardi returns to the stage at Staatstheater Meiningen from 23 October 2026. Max Emanuel Cencic himself will sing the role of Guido at the premiere and in the performances on 1 and 22 November 2026. Conducted by Camille Delaforge, the series of performances in Meiningen will continue until 2 March 2027.
Cencic will also make prominent concert appearances in the coming months. In the title role of Handel’s Radamisto, he will perform at the MusikTheater an der Wien on 6 November 2026 and at the Wrocław Concert Hall on 23 January 2027. Benjamin Bayl conducts the Wrocław Baroque Orchestra.
Together with Martyna Pastuszka and her ensemble {oh!}, Max Emanuel Cencic will perform several concerts of the popular Senesino programme in 2027, including an appearance in Seville in March 2027.
At the end of November 2026, Max Emanuel Cencic will also present the programme of the Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival 2027.
The major Handel roles Radamisto, Poro (Poro, re dell’Indie) and Floridante, as well as Guido (Flavio) and Tolomeo (Giulio Cesare), together with Ulisse in Nicola Porpora’s Polifemo, will accompany Max Emanuel Cencic on international stages over the coming months and years.
Further exciting projects as a stage director and impresario also await this exceptionally versatile artist.
Information and booking enquiries for Max Emanuel Cencic: georg@parnassus.at
